SNS4D: An OnLine Social Network System for Developing Countries

Online social networks assume a pervasive Internet connection. Unfortunately, Internet connectivity is rather uneven in developing countries. It is sometimes high in selected urban areas but remains generally low in rural areas. On the other hand, cellular network penetration is much higher and more uniform. This paper proposes a social network system for developing countries that enables a pervasive access by offsetting poor Internet connectivity by the rich SMS access provided by cellular networks. It allows all key operations associated with online social networking, using both the Web and SMS. Unlike existing online social networks that offer an SMS access in addition to Web access, it can be quickly deployed by re-using existing social networks. It also offers an SMS interface with a higher level of abstraction for end-users with phones that support J2ME. Furthermore, unlike existing social networks with SMS access, it gives SMS users access to the full set of social network operations. A proof-of-concept prototype has been implemented based on a scenario for an extended family whose members have disparate levels of Internet access.