Intermediated Technology Use

A pattern of technology interaction where a person accesses technology through the assistance of another person (an intermediary) rather than using it directly themselves. This occurs when barriers such as cost, literacy, disability, or lack of access prevent direct use. Common examples include a shopkeeper helping a visually impaired customer use mobile banking, or a family member making phone calls on behalf of a mobility impaired relative. Intermediated use challenges traditional HCI assumptions about individual, direct interaction with technology and reveals the social networks that enable technology access in low-resource settings. Understanding intermediated use is critical for designing inclusive technology that accounts for shared devices, proxy users, and the trust relationships these interactions require.