[Banfield:] South by Southwest's Texas's Annual High-Tech Festival prides itself on its internet activity, getting people connected in brand new way, but there's one program that's really standing out. It's labeled not only innovative, but somewhat insensitive. It's called homeless hotspots. A band of homeless people wearing special devices that provide a 4G signal and they're approaching anyone at South by Southwest offering their clear connection for a suggested fee, $2 for 15 minutes.
[Dusty White, Homeless Hotspot Participant:] I'm with a company here it's a hotspot for the homeless. This is something they just did. You guys having problems with your Wi-Fi or anything like it. I've swallowed my pride. At first I was kind of embarrassed about it, but being homeless has changed me to a different outlook about people.
[Banfield:] Depending on how it goes, the "New York Post" is reporting that homeless hot spots could be headed here to New York. Just wanted to show you the cover of the "New York Post," just in case you were curious. So if the homeless people involved are on board, why are some people walking away with a bad taste in their mouth about all of this? To talk about it, I've got with me Emma Cookson, chairwoman at BBH New York, the marketing agency that created homeless hot spots. I'm glad you came to talk to me about this. My first inclination, Emma, when I saw this, was, my God, how could you exploit homeless people like this? But there is a lot more to it. Tell me, why is it not exploitation?
[Emma Cookson, Chairwoman, Bbh New York:] Well, I suppose the first thing I would say is it's not exploitation in the eyes of the people taking part who have been, all of them, the homeless guys it was mostly guys, one woman all of them has been heartwarmingly positive, enthusiastic and into it. We did share with them, in the midst of all the comments and the negative feedback as well as positive feedback, you know, if you feel uncomfortable about this, stop doing it.
[Banfield:] Who started this whole thing in the first place?
[Cookson:] The article came from a group of people inside the agency. I work for a communications agency, and inside the agency there are a lot of people who are just very interested and passionate about the homeless issue generally. We are a communication agency, so a lot of us are always looking out for new ways that maybe we can create awareness or create support, so honestly, it wasn't like a person, it was a group of people.
[Banfield:] And did anybody at the time of the genesis of this say, yes, I can sense some blowback on this one?
[Cookson:] Nothing like the scale of attention that has subsequently come our way, no. We knew, but obviously it's different and it's unusual. So we certainly thought, yes, some people will comment, some people will notice, but we didn't think it would be quite such a deluge that it's been.
[Banfield:] It's huge. As I was reading some of the tweets from the people at South by Southwest, let me read a couple for our audience because they probably had the same reaction I did right off the mark. Celine said, as if the homeless aren't demeaned enough, now they're being used as Wi-Fi hot spots at South by Southwest. And from Austin Annie, this tweet, anyone else finds using homeless persons as homeless hot spots at South by Southwest disturbing, dehumanizing, offensive? And then from Melissa Geera, I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that one right. It's just kind of right to the point, horrifying. Ultimately, the tweet was horrifying. So why is it not horrifying? Is there some great benefit? What do the homeless people get out of this that makes this actually
[Cookson:] Absolutely, yes and obviously, there have been quite a lot of tweets and other forms of support.
[Banfield:] Some of them we couldn't put on the air. You know that, right?
[Cookson:] There's been some that were a lot more positive than the ones you read on the air. But anyway, I suppose explaining where it comes from explains what's in it for people. We've been long admirers of the street newspapers battle. You know, the yes, exactly. So people sell the newspaper. So the whole thing was conceived, OK, we're in a digital age now. Is there a more modern digital version of that because the great thing about that model that we really, really admire. And lots of people admire is not that it's just a source of revenue for the people selling the papers, but also that it's a source of connectivity, personal contacts, and personal talk. So with this program, the idea was they're selling connectivity as opposed to a piece of content or a newspaper, and we did the whole program through the shelter in Austin. The thing they talk about most that they've most been proud of is the fact that they're based in Austin, and when the conferences come around each year, usually the conference goers just pass them by. They don't stop to talk to them. Because of this program, people are having loads and loads of conversations about their background, about their situation. They're getting money, they're making cash
[Banfield:] They get money from people who pay.
[Cookson:] Every single dollar that comes in from this program is going direct to the person using the Wi-Fi device, 100 percent, absolutely no financial benefit to anyone else.
[Banfield:] So in essence, they're working?
[Cookson:] They're working. One guy referred to it as his temporary little business. It's homelesshotspot.org. If anyone would want to make a donation, we would be grateful.
[Banfield:] But if I want the Wi-Fi, it's about what, $2 and so for
[Cookson:] That was just a suggested price. We made it clear. It's a free service. You don't have to pay, and certainly no cash exchanges hands. We gave guaranteed minimums to these guys.
[Banfield:] It is intriguing no matter how you slice it, but I think you're not done with the conversation yet. There is a lot of conversation out there. Emma Cookson, thanks for coming in. Appreciate it.
[Cookson:] Thank you.
[Banfield:] And still ahead, it's no secret that many Americans are not saving money. But I've got a new report for you, and it is really disturbing. It is bad, folks, especially when it comes to your retirement. We're going to have a little peek-see into America's bank accounts and find out where your friends, your relatives, your neighbors and you stand. It isn't pretty.