ABSTRACT
We just celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first call made from a mobile phone (BBC 2013). Since then, an extraordinary technological revolution has been unleashed, enabling three-quarters of the world population (and much of the developing world) to have access to this powerful communication device at all times (The World Bank 2012). Nowadays, more people in the world have access to mobiles than to basic sanitation. Almost everywhere, individuals are in constant contact with peers, family, business partners, service providers and an ever growing number of information sources. The rippling effects brought about by these ubiquitous com-
munication opportunities on the living standards of populations include the creation of job opportunities, the promotion of political transparency, the early containment of epidemic outbreaks, the early warning of hazards and the possibility to scale up global health systems (The World Bank 2012; The Economist 2009a; The Economist 2009b; Quadir 2005; Lester & Karanja 2008; BBC Media Action 2012; The Economist 2007).
