Payal Arora Books

Focusing on social computing in the Central Himalayas, this ethnographic study explores alternative practices with technology among an undocumented population. It provides critical insights into free learning with computers, the roles of various intermediaries in digital information, and the effects of access types on social computing. Additionally, it addresses gender and technology issues, as well as the transnational dynamics of knowledge consumption and production, offering a comprehensive view of these complex interactions.

Why do citizens of states with strict surveillance care so little about their digital privacy? Why do Brazilians eschew geo-tagging on social media? What drives young Indians to friend foreign strangers on Facebook and give missed calls to people? Payal Arora answers these questions and many more about the internet's next billion users.

Exploring the intersection of digital culture and youth, the author presents innovative design systems that embrace global perspectives. Through fieldwork in Brazil, India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria, insights into young people's interactions with technology reveal how they navigate algorithmic systems, influencing their creativity, trust, identity, and political engagement. This work highlights the importance of inclusive design in understanding and supporting diverse digital experiences.

Exploring the intersection of digital and urban leisure, the book draws parallels between Web 2.0 cyberleisure and urban parks, both characterized by ideals of openness and democracy. It delves into the implications of corporatization and privatization within these spaces, offering new perspectives on the democratization of new media. Through this analysis, it highlights how digital commons reflect and reshape traditional leisure environments.