Smart or ‘Dystopian’? Marketing Ploy Uses Homeless People as Wi-Fi Hotspots
- Posted on March 12, 2012 at 2:55pm by
Erica Ritz
- Print »
- Email »
Outside an annual tech startup conference in Austin, 13 homeless men wore white shirts that read,”I’m _____, a 4G hotspot.” Each one carried a wireless internet device, and for a PayPal donation, provided attendees with as much Internet as they wanted.
(Photo: hardlynormal.posterous.com)
Orchestrated with the marketing firm BBH in cooperation with the homeless advocacy group Front Steps, “Homeless Hotspots” is being roundly criticized as exploitative and wrong. David Gallagher of the NYT called it “a little dystopian,” and it’s not faring any better on Twitter:
@tcarmody: We did this, people. What happened? America happened…homeless being used as Wifi hotspots…
@km: Homeless hotspots at #sxsw scares me…
@AustinAni: Anyone else find using homeless persons as “Homeless Hotspots” at SXSWi disturbing, dehumanizing, offensive?…
However, BBH and Front Steps aren’t giving in to the criticism.
“We have very few tools to help homeless,” said Saneel Radia of BBH, “and one is rooted in print media. [It] just seems outdated —[but] the basic model seems to work.”
Radia was referring to organizations like Big Issue, a newspaper “published on behalf and sold by homeless people.” The newspaper gives the homeless a way to earn money without begging, but lately, there have either been fewer patrons or people have paid for the newspaper without actually taking it.
“The model isn’t inherently broken, Radia explained, “It’s simply the output that’s archaic in the smartphone age.” Their goal is to “create a modern version of this successful model, offering homeless individuals an opportunity to sell a digital service instead of a material commodity.”
BBH and Front Steps have reiterated that the money goes directly to the homeless individual— neither group takes a percentage of the profit.
(Photo: Buzzfeed)
And reports suggest that the homeless participants enjoyed it, for the most part. “One of the guys used the phrase, ‘my small business’ today.”
Front Steps, the homeless advocacy organization that helped coordinate the event, also described their enthusiasm:
Thursday was our training day and there was so much energy in the room! Especially when each person received their t-shirts with their names on them and viewed their hotspot profiles for the first time. Friday and Saturday were pretty bleak… the downpour of rain had kept [participants] indoors or dashing from dry spot to dry spot, and thus not much business for our clients. They were a little down, but several were anxious to get back out there and try anyway. Great spirit. When the rain stopped… there was again that rush of energy as they dashed into the sunny afternoon.
So what do you think? Is paying the homeless for Wi-Fi “dehumanizing,” or is it dehumanizing not to let them work to provide for themselves?
Comments (34)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 585 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 374 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 368 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 368 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
wbalzley
Posted on March 13, 2012 at 5:08amWiMAX and Super Wi-FI are about to make hotspots obsolete. A single tower can blanket a 15 mile radius with high-speed internet…In another 10 years, the entire nation will be one big hot-spot.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 10:25pmThere is not any gov’t involvement and these folks have a VOLUNTARY OPPORTUNITY to earn some cash.
Is it dehumanizing if I come to your home and clean up the dog poop in your yard for money?
Or should I have a dog poop removal license issued by the local govt; a state health certification for dog poop removal, and an epa inspection for the disposal of said dog poop?
Report Post »atlaspooped
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:24pm“WI-FI ALL OVER THE CITY!!! But mostly on the east side. And under bridges.”
Report Post »mbean
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:48pmSo giving someone otherwise unemployable a job is wrong now?
Only under the rule of Barack The One is this an issue.
Report Post »TheBurningTruth
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:15pmRemember, it’s ALL about control. WE THE PEOPLE aren’t supposed to give others jobs, that’s for the government to do. When the average American is NOT dependent on the govt, that’s when they lose control. Note how all the “tax breaks” and special treatment go to huge corporations and NOT to small companies. With all the acknowledgement about how much small business adds to new employment, but they’re being attacked with the $250k/yr threshold of evil. Govt can control big business much easier than it can small business.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:23pmWhat a great idea.
Report Post »MONICNE
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:17pmAyn Rand would approve this idea, because just like in Atlas Shrugged we need to recognize the true “Supreme Being” of the American economy: not the Holy Spirit – but, our feisty Entrepreneurial Spirit.
These Hobo Hotspots represent what America is all about – not Taker Handouts from Hobo enabling churches and other libbie creepshows.
Ayn Rand would be proud of the genius deploying these hobo hotspots (were she to return from the afterlife). If we free Americans do not worship profits, who will? Commies?
TEA
Report Post »Micmac
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:08pmRe: the term “HOMELESS”
A lot of small minds on today. NoBama and his agenda have caused A LOT of people (families) who worked for 20 years without incident, and owned their own homes during this period, to become unemployed and homeless, having to live out of their cars, for instance. They are not druggies, but in some instances, entire families are impacted. Some finally have lesser jobs for survival but these “homeless” people are in transition, trying to get back on their feet, while this administration is concerned about golf handicaps and re-elections. Just because it‘s a single male doesn’t alter the conversation. The implication in this picture is single black man = indigent? The power of the press. Over 50% of black males under 25 are unemployed. How does this fit into the conversation, besides NoBama trashing his bretheren.
NoBama 2012
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:53pmI haven’t heard the drive by media do a report on homelessness in about…………………3 years and 2 months…………hmmmmmmm!
Report Post »Zen Patriot
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:06pmBut it’s OK for college girls to strip for cash? Really people, all I can say is laissez faire.
Report Post »jackact
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:48pmYes, and this same victim hood group also make excellent Obama voters!
Report Post »Obama Nation
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:38pmSheriff Joe on Obama Investigation: Worse Than Watergate; Biggest Media Blackout in History
http://obamareleaseyourrecords.blogspot.com/2012/03/sheriff-joe-on-obama-investigation.html
Report Post »NeverSurrender
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:33pmThis isn’t going to work. I just checked their website and all the homeless people are in the the same part of town within a half block of each other. How am I supposed to get service on the other side of town?
Report Post »Impenitent
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:28pmat least the government isn’t making them into Soylent Green…
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:36pmYet….
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:24pmStinky WI FI. But seriously most homeless people are drug addicts or mentally ill,this is a bad idea.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:06pmWe do not need to be their nannies. It is not up to the collective to presume how a free man will spend his wages and base policy on the presumption. Just because I have a penis does not mean I will be a rapist.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:07pmThe tyranny of the majority always amazes me regarding where it will show up next.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:23pmBeats tossing them handouts or dealing with begging, I guess?
Wonder if any of them sold the gadget for money though.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:19pmNext will be Holder looking into the tax returns of the homeless that participated.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:57pmNaw, Holder will make sure they are all felons and join the Hot-Spot Union. Timmy the Tax Cheat will make sure they file their tax returns so they qualify for Earned Income Credit and get back more than they pay in.
Report Post »TexBork
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:15pmKeep Austin Weird isn’t just a slogan, it’s a way of life in the liberal occupied territory of Captial of the Lone Star State. It’s a fun and weird place, but it’s also nice to just visit and leave the leftist lunacy of it and head out to the Hill Country and enjoy the true beauty of real as well as the reassuring feeling of common sense.
Report Post »randy
Posted on March 13, 2012 at 12:20amAhhhhhhhhh Hill Country! Marble Falls, Burnett, Lake Buchanan…. Love that place!
Report Post »Mmmmmm… The BlueBonnet Cafe in Marble Falls…. Gosh I miss their Pies
TommyGuns
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:14pmI see nothing wrong with it. Those who think it’s exploitative should be doing more than complaining how the poor homeless people are being used. It gives them an opportunity to earn some money instead of begging for it, and can’t help but increase their self esteem. Welfare programs can help with shelter and food, but how do you give someone back their sense of purpose and meaning?
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:43pmYou can’t give anyone a sense of purpose and meaning. It is something you have to do , YOURSELF. You are asking for a DEMOCRAT fallacy.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:10pmIs there anyone whom liberals won’t exploit?
Report Post »deeberj
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:13pmThe homeless person is making some money, the company is getting something out of it. It’s free enterprise. Nothing wrong with it.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:09pmTheir pants are wetlands and homes for parasites it is unlawful to put a wifi hotspot on protected lands.
Report Post »TxSon
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:09pmAwesome! What is wrong with giving these people a gig that pays them? Isn’t the dehumanizing thing to do to simply toss some cash at them rather than letting them earn the pay?
Report Post »boxy
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:20pmYea i don’t see the problem. If i was homeless i would be all over this. Its not like anyone is forcing them to wear wifi collars. And ALL the money they earn goes to them. No exploitation here.
Report Post »hi
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:05pmI love it! It will give them a sense of purpose and the right kind of contact with folks instead of begging.
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:04pmSome homeless are dangerous and psychotic around my part of the country..NJ,NYC…hope they ‘vet’ them more than they did Barry the Clown.
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:02pmWeird…reminds of ‘History of the World’ with Mel Brooks…”P*ss Boy..Oh P*iss boy…”…at least they are working and trying…unlike section 8′ers and generational welfare queens and kings.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 3:00pmLiberal business ideas!
Report Post »