Digital Divide

Digital Divide

Term first introduced in 1995 by the US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

"The term 'digital divide' describes the fact that the world can be divided into people who do and people who don't have access to - and the capability to use - modern information technology.

Digital Divide

The term 'digital divide refers to the gap between those people with effective access to digital and information technology, and those without access to it.

It includes the imbalances in physical access to technology, as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen.

It’s the unequal access by some members of the society to information and communications technology, and the unequal acquisition of related skills.

Digital Divide exists between….

Those in cities and those in rural areas

The educated and the uneducated

Economic classes

And, globally, between the more and less industrially developed nations".

Global Digital Divide

The global digital divide is a term used to describe “great disparities in opportunity to access the Internet and the information and educational/business opportunities tied to this access … between developed and developing countries” (Lu 2001 p. 1). Also sometimes called as International Digital Divide.

Global Digital Divide

Unlike the traditional notion of the "digital divide" between social classes, the "global digital divide" is essentially a geographical division:

In access to information, the Internet and other information technologies and services

In skills, knowledge, and abilities to use information, the Internet and other technologies".

First World(Haves)

Technology Ownership

Hegemony, Dominance

&Monopoly

Knowledge &

Information Rich

Third World(Have Nots)

Lack of

•Hardware & software•Internet

access•Skills

Dependence&

Reliance

Knowledge &

Information Poor

Information and Communication

Technologies

Examples of the global digital divide

In the early 21st century, residents of First World countries enjoyed many Internet services which are not yet widely available in Third World countries, including: Affordable and widespread Internet access, either through personal computers at home or work, through public terminals in public libraries and Internet cafes, and through wireless access points;

E-commerce enabled by efficient electronic payment networks like credit cards and reliable shipping services;

Examples of the global digital divide

Online research systems like LexisNexis and ProQuest which enable users to peruse newspaper and magazine articles that may be centuries old, without having to leave home;

Price engines like Google Product Search which help consumers find the best possible online prices, and similar services like ShopLocal which find the best possible prices at local retailers;

E-Governance: Electronic services delivery of government services, such as the ability to pay taxes, fees, and fines online.

E-Health: In developed world, citizens have access to their medical records, prescriptions and doctors and latest research remotely.

E- Banking: Transactions between banks, between individuals globally. (Muslim commercial Bank, Citibank etc)

Online Social Networks: People stay connected with each other regardless of their location. (Facebook, Youtube, Chat software's)

Aspects of Digital Divide

Access

Digital Skills

Content

Access

There is the initial problem of actually buying and deploying computers inside developing nations, as well as assorted networking and communications technologies. completing all of these requires enormous investments of money. The costs are enormous and this is why developing countries need support of developed nations, otherwise they might not even be able to give access to their population - leads towards dependency.

In developing countries, the majority of people besides wealthy individuals cannot currently afford the technology, even when it is available, so usage remains low.

Advancements in the newer technologies require resources that differ from older technologies.

Digital Skills

Rogers (1986) has argued newer forms of communication technology, such as IT and the Internet, may create a series of dependent S-curves due to their rapidly evolving nature and the cumulative digital skills required to put them to effective use. According to Rogers, the rapid evolution of technology may serve to increase existing information gaps.

Van Dijk (1999) argues that advancements in technology create situations in which those who are limited to a very basic level of skills now will be outpaced by those who are ahead in the ability to select and process information.

Content

Contents found on the Web will determine the success of this participation. Currently on the web, more websites are in English (bridges.org, 2001, p20). The dominance of English, and especially US content, makes it less useful to other countries. English speakers were the first users of Internet, so the predominance of their language was natural. So there is a necessity to have more variety in languages on the Web.

Additionally, non-English countries produce less local content making the Internet less relevant to their lives. It is also necessary that users become content creators as well by the creation of their own websites.

Consequences of Global Digital Divide

Bridging the Gap: New route to development or new form of dependency?

Efforts to bridge the digital divide may have the effect of locking developing countries into a new form of dependency on the West. The technologies and "regimes" (international standards governing ICTs) are designed by developed country entities for developed country conditions. As the developing countries participate in ICTs, they become more vulnerable to the increasing complexity of the hardware and software and to the quasi monopolistic power of providers of key ICT services. This is a new form of international digital dependence for which we need a new version of the 1970s dependency theory. (Robert Hunter Wade, 2002)

New ICTs are tools of cultural & linguistic diversity or cultural imperialism & language divide?

ICTs can only be a tool for cultural imperialism and linguistic divide as they are applied in such a way that unable the peoples of developing countries to express their culture through their native language and frame of reference with affordable cost.

This global digital divide widening or closing the gap in economic division?

Existing economic divisions can clearly be seen in the Global Digital Divide image. Countries with a wide availability of Internet access can advance the economics of that country on a local and global scale. In countries where the Internet and other technologies are not accessible, education is suffering, and uneducated people and societies that are not benefiting from the information age, cannot be competitive in the global economy. This leads to these countries, which tend to be developing countries, suffering greater economic downfall and richer countries advancing their education and economy.

Development of a global information Society or increase in gap of “Information Rich” and “Information poor”?

Global information society is a myth as digital divide causing poor countries and poor people not only differ from rich not only because they are less resourceful but also less knowledge has today become the fundamental factor increasing the gap in between them, hence creating information “haves” and information “have nots”. “info-rich” able to, “Info-poor” unable to tap opportunities presented by digital technology to achieve their economic, social & political goals

Obstacles in overcoming digital divide

Huge investments of money Low IncomeLow literacy and skillsLack of skilled LabourAccess to handheld devices and portable

technologiesPoor telecommunication infrastructureTechnology TransferLack of Government Initiatives

Conclusion

References

Mason, Shana M. (2003). Applying Communication Theory to Digital Divide Research. IT and Society. Vol. 1, No. 5. pp. 40-55.

Wade, Robert Hunter (2002). Bridging Digital Divide: New Route to Development or New Form of Dependancy?. Global Governance. Vol. 8.

Compaine, Benjamin M. (ed.) (2001), The Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis or Creating a Myth?, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, ISBN 0262531933.

Lu, Ming-te (2001). Digital divide in developing countries. Journal of

Global Information Technology Management (4:3), pp. 1-4. Fizz, Robyn; Mansur, Karla (2008-06-04) (PDF), "Helping MIT

neighbors cross the 'digital divide'" (PDF), MIT Tech Talk (Cambridge: MIT): http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/techtalk52-28.pdf

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_divide

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