Internet Issues: Digital Divide

digital divide

Definition

"The digital divide refers to the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard both to their opportunities to access information and communications technologies (ICT's) and to their use of the Internet for a wide variety of activities. It includes the imbalance both in physical access to technology and the resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen." ~Wikipedia


  • "All of us live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon." ~Konrad Adenauer



  • digital divide"Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world." ~Jimmy Carter



  • "Will the distance between 'have nets' and 'have nots' increase?" ~S. Weyer, 1988






Factors
  • geography
  • speed, cost of connection
  • wired vs. wireless
  • poverty, literacy
  • gender, race, class
  • competition vs. monopolies
  • government policies





fed and connectedBeyond availability of a connection, we will discuss restrictions by ISPs (information service providers), content providers and governments later.



Importance?





country roadpigeon

Rural vs. Urban





hares dialuphares dialup

US & Other Countries





disabled

Age, Ability, Education, Language, Class, ...





For more info: Network Access: Digital Divide; Content Access: Internationalization, Abilities

[updated: 04-Oct-2011] [.pdf]