Marketing Agency Uses Homeless As Wi-Fi Hotspots 267
An anonymous reader writes "Marketing agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) has launched a controversial charity scheme at this year's South by Southwest festival, in which homeless people are being used to provide Wi-Fi hotspots. The project, Homeless Hotspots, seeks to address people's need for a high-speed data connection at the festival in Austin, Texas, by issuing the homeless with T-shirts that say 'I am a 4G hotspot.' Passers-by may then pay what they wish either in cash or by PayPal to get online 4G networks via the Wi-Fi device that a homeless person is carrying and the proceeds go to the Front Steps Homeless shelter in Austin."
Re:Not a bad idea (Score:5, Interesting)
It's basically an updated version of the street newspapers that homeless people have been selling for decades. Micro-business like this can be the first step and getting out of poverty.
This is actually an excellent idea! It could be even better if it were implemented in such a way that the homeless person could eventually become their own independent business owner. It is news like this that we need to hear more often and it is very uplifting to read on a Monday morning. What if the homeless person could eventually raise enough money to buy the device and a kind of franchise right to do business as x? I disagree with using the term charity here. Charity is simply a free gift without any commitment in return. Ideas like these encourage commitment and integrity which the homless person needs to exhibit! The next step is to let them earn the money to purchase the device and become an independent business owner. This can also spur other forms of creativity on the part of the people vending the service like ways to power the devices and maybe design a rolling portable table where people can sit down for a bit. The possibilities are many
Re:Ah yes, (Score:4, Interesting)
You get modded informative for an incorrect, stereotypical, insulting generalization of "right-wingers"?
I suppose I should be kicked out of the party for actually caring about homeless people. I imagine all those other evangelical charities, missions, etc should as well, since clearly they all view homeless people as rubbish.
Re:What!? (Score:4, Interesting)