TikTok, ThinkWiFi test free WiFi hotspots in South Africa

Short video social platform TikTok will roll out 50 free WiFi hotspots in communities across the country.

The organization owned by China’s ByteDance in conjunction with ThinkWiFi plans to pilot a program to deliver 50 free WiFi hotspots in several areas.

The move is to drive awareness for digital literacy inclusion and advocacy to bridge the digital divide.

Areas expected to benefit from the partnership are Gugulethu, Soweto, Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga and Khayelitsha in the Western Cape.

The free WiFi pilot is expected to run for six months to encourage content creation and bridge an apparent digital divide.

The plan is to encourage growth in internet penetration, and make the entertainment platform accessible to more mobile devices.

Several communities still remain outside the digital sphere mainly due to the high cost of data and limited infrastructure.

ThinkWiFi CEO Janine Rebelo said the company was encouraged to contribute towards promoting internet accessibility while reducing digital inequalities, according to reports.

“We are excited to be making a contribution to one of the most important needs of our people today. Opportunities on the internet for our youth are endless, but many South Africans do not have access to digital hardware, digital literacy skills and internet connectivity. The latter reality is exacerbated by the high cost of data and the limited availability of infrastructure to support broadband penetration targets,” she added.

TikTok’s public policy director for sub Saharan Africa, Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda said TikTok played an important role in the digital world.

The pilot will be to encourage more people to join the TikTok, learn new skills an educate fellow community members.

TikTok has become the leading destination for short form video content creation.

The platform homes a vast array of creative content once you sign into the TikTok login homepage.

From tech, politics, sports to architecture, beauty and lifestyle, the TikTok lite continues to home creative expression through videos.

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Featured image: Unsplash/Olivier Bergeron