Instead of small pox Google is colonising Africa with 'cool stuff'

Sitting at the southern tip of Africa you get used to giving a resigned shrug and half-smile when the entire continent gets lumped into something called ROW (rest of world), especially when it comes to scheduling the release dates of new technology.

By Vanessa Clark

9 Feb 2011

Which is why part of me is almost pathetically grateful for Google's hands-on approach in Africa. On the other hand, it seems that Google really has set its sights on Africa and is determined to take over the continent ... digitally in any case. Granted, the search giant is being very nice about it.

Previously colonists arrived with small pox, their religion and inappropriate political systems, and took natural resources, people and equality. Google is arriving with free technology, promises of better caching and other broadband infrastructure, and workshops on how to make money from all this cool stuff.

One of the main things that it's very politely asking for in return - our data - might seem a small price to pay for accessing university lectures thanks to YouTube EDU. Not to mention the ability to translate any webpage to Afrikaans, Arabic or Swahili. Let us not forget being able to read Google's pages in more than 38 African languages. And of course the extent that Google Maps has covered Africa (leaving aside the snafu around Morocco's borders), including releasing street view in South Africa in time for the World Cup, and earlier than many other countries around the world.

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Vanessa Clark

About Vanessa Clark

Hi! I'm a freelance journalist, copywriter and editor based in Cape Town, South Africa. I write as a journalist and for corporates and agencies. My specialties are business-to-business and technology writing. I like unpacking complex ideas so they are more easily understood - especially when it involves innovation taking place in South Africa, and the rest of Africa.