Materializing digital inequalities: the digital artifacts of the marginalized in Brazil

As a predominantly social phenomenon, many examinations around issues caused by digital inequalities appropriately focus on the policies, attitudes, and other cultural elements that pertain to the adoption, use, and proliferation of digital technology. As a compliment to these analyses, this paper will examine the materiality as a component of the digital inequalities in Brazil's urban poor areas, known as favelas. We specifically look at the material aspects of the digital artifacts used in LAN Houses and state-supported Telecenters located inside the favelas in the city of Vitoria, Brazil. This study is driven by qualitative exploration -- using critical ethnographic methods such as observation and interviews -- designed to focus on the perspective of the local users of LAN Houses and Telecenters. We apply critical ethnography to give voices to the locals and allow them to understand the material issues and conflicts on their terms. Through examples from keyboard layout to power unit supplies, we will describe how the materiality of digital artifacts contributes to digital inequalities and how unique social conventions are formed in this context. Shedding light on people's experiences with such materials broadens our view of different ways that technology and internet is used, and perhaps thereby do a better job of developing appropriate technologies for these people.