Cell phones are increasingly used as the primary way to access the internet, especially for
people of color and young adults. However, whatever your skill level, existing federal
policies greatly restrict the usefulness of our mobile phones, inhibiting innovation and
improvements in service, not to mention driving up our monthly bills. Because of this, it
is crucial and urgent that cell phone users become knowledgeable in policy and technology
issues that affect mobile wireless technology’s affordability, accessibility, and functionality.

Dialed In: A Toolkit to Liberate Your Cell Phone and Reclaim Media Agency expands this
power of mobile phones by teaching people how to expand the existing functionality of the
devices that are already in their pockets.

A team of us—People's Production House (PPH), in collaboration with the Center for
Urban Pedagogy (CUP), the New Mexico Media Literacy Project (NMMLP), and the
Institute for Popular Education of Southern California (IDEPSCA)—are in the finishing
stages of developing ‘Dialed In.’ We’ve already produced a short documentary exploring
cell phone infrastructure and technology by looking at cell phone functionality, how
the market and service plans of mobile communications work and envisioning how
cellular handsets, mobile networks and service plans may better serve their consumers.

Building on this documentary and our expertise, we’ve created four fun and interactive
workshops that inform you about key technological issues, who regulates the infrastructure,
and how you can be a more savvy consumer and media justice advocate. Designed as
interactive games, the workshops help participants deconstruct how cell phone hardware,
software, and usage plans are linked and how media policies right now affect our everyday
lives. The Toolkit's modular architecture supports greater functionality by allowing various
users to emphasize particular skills while including the full range of curriculum. Certain
components will feature Spanish translations of the English material further broadening the
Toolkit's capacity. Best of all, ‘Dialed In’ also includes a DIY guide to producing media for
cell phones using free, open-source software so that you too can become a media maker.

Now all we need is support to help package our toolkit and get it into the hands of
educators, advocates, young adults, and policy makers across the country. With your
support we can use available mobile technology to expand whose voice gets heard and
transform the underlying policies that currently restrict the usefulness of mobile technology!

Project Details

Project url: 

http://peoplesproductionhouse.org/cellphone-literacy-toolkit

Project image: 

Project video: 

Supporting organization: 

People's Production House

Location