INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL DIVIDE
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ANDRELYN KATE C. NARRA
The term "digital divide" describes the difference in demographics and geographic areas with and without access to contemporary information and communications technology (ICT). The internet, personal computers, television, and telephone are examples of this technology.
WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF DIGITAL DIVIDE?
The difference between those who have access to and those who do not have access to the telephone was the main focus of the term "digital divide" well before the late 20th century. However, particularly broadband, after the late 1990s, the phrase started to be used primarily to represent the gap between people with and without internet access.
The digital divide often exists between urban and rural dwellers, educated and uneducated people, socioeconomic classes and worldwide, more and less industrially developed and emerging nations.
The digital divide can be seen even in populations that have some access to technology in the form of slower PCs, slower wireless connections, dial-up connections that are less expensive, and limited access to subscription-based content.
The digital divide is not uniform. The digital divide can be defined as the difference between people who have access to the Internet and those who do not. But there are numerous aspects to the digital divide, including issues with accessibility, affordability, relevance, and quality. Here are some of the factors that contribute to discrepancies in Internet access, as Michael Kende noted in his essay, "The digital divide is not a binary."
Availability: Is there available access to the Internet in your area? Is there a nearby point of connection to the Internet? If yes, this is just the first step to having Internet access.
Affordability: Is that access affordable? How does the cost compare to other essential goods? What percentage of your income do you need to pay for access?
Quality of service: Are the upload and download speeds sufficient for the local needs of Internet users?
Relevance: Does the connected community have the necessary skills and technologies? Is there local interest and understanding of the relevance of Internet access? Are there locally available mobile apps? Is there content in the local language and relevant to the people in the community?
Additional Dividers: Other areas that can create digital inequality include security, interconnectivity, digital literacy, and access to equipment.
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL DIVIDE
For many years, the global digital divide was seen as a consequence of economic development. As countries and individuals became richer, the common expectation was that they would purchase digital devices and infrastructure and the digital divide would close naturally.
Yet incomes have risen around the world over the past two decades, and access to digital services has remained stubbornly low in much of the developing world. In many cases, this is due to a lack of investment in internet infrastructure. Citizens may have internet-enabled devices, but still no connection to the World Wide Web. The internet penetration rate still varies widely among continents: In 2022, 80% of Europeans had internet access, compared with just 22% of Africans.
WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE TODAY?
The digital gap is still very much a reality today, according to research and publications. A 2019 survey estimates that 15.3 million urban or metro locations and 5 million rural American homes still lack access to broadband internet.
According to a Pew Research Center research, 40% of people with low earnings lack access to home internet services or a computer, while 24% of adults with household incomes under $30,000 do not own a smartphone.
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
People who believe closing the digital divide will increase digital literacy, digital skills, democracy, social mobility, economic equality, and economic growth are among those who support it.
The annual observance of World Information Society Day by the United Nations, for instance, has contributed to increasing public awareness of the worldwide digital gap. In an effort to close the global digital divide, it also established the Information and Communication Technologies Task Force.
But it hasn't gotten any simpler to close the digital divide, particularly after the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to a 2020 McKinsey report, learning loss will only get worse since instructors and students are increasingly using remote learning, and low-income families may not have access to the proper equipment.
Due to the growth of services like video on demand, video conferencing, and virtual classrooms, which require access to high-speed internet connections that those on the less-served side of the digital divide cannot access and/or afford, the reality of a separate-access marketplace is problematic.
Some nonprofit organizations have started giving low-income school districts and other places with internet users laptops and access to technology.
Reference for pictures
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