internet and mobile phones differently, mainly for the following reasons: ■ Poor network coverage and connectivity — some areas access only Edge and 2G network, which is poor and intermittent and internet incompatible. ■ Cost of airtime and data which limits/determines what citizens can access online. ■ Available gadgets — Basic phone (Mbudzi) versus smartphone technology determines the services accessed; this is also tied to access to power and battery longevity. ■ Gendered aspect of access to gadgets — more access for men than women. ■ Age is an aspect of access to/use of forms (Facebook and WhatsApp are dominated by the young; voice/SMS is mainly used by the elderly, but also the young, riding on cheap promotional bundles). ■ Bundles (promotional services) offered by mobile network operators — cost of data limits universal and neutral access; MNOs promotions that allow access only to specific sites or applications; Offline media access THE unequal access to the digital media space prevalent in rural areas, compared to the urban areas, has resulted in a general reliance on and deference to offline media sources, especially word of mouth. This has also partly resulted from poor network and broadcasting coverage, as it has also been about digital media literacy. While general literacy remains high in Zimbabwe, especially in offline media spaces, media and information literacy in the digital space is low. However, this apparent gap is covered through the enmeshing of the different online media platforms with the offline, where a layer of “elite” citizens, especially in the rural areas, bridge the information gaps within their communities. 29