DIGITAL DIVIDE

Digital Divide

Digital Divide

Introduction

The term digital divide became very popular in the mid 1990's, initially had a rather simple definition, and with access defined solely as a technique to access computers and access to telecommunications services. Later, the definitions of the digital divide began to include more complex measures of access, not only access to technical infrastructure, but also access to social infrastructure. Social infrastructure includes access to education and the content, the ability to produce and consume information. A variety of socio-demographic characteristics were also recognized as an increase or inhibit access, including income, education, gender, race, ethnicity, age, language background and location (e.g. rural and urban areas). (Bagchi 2005)

The digital divide is of great concern among governments, NGOs and the private sector. In 2006, a Google search on "digital divide" was introduced about 27 million entries. From an ethical perspective, the digital divide poses problems of distributive justice, fair distribution of goods relative to demand. Many believe that the digital divide represents and reinforces socioeconomic inequalities. Inadequate access to the Internet reduces the opportunities to do business, communicate, find jobs, interact with government agencies, issues of health research, join groups, participate in distance education, and participate in political processes. (Dewan 2005)

For the world's rural poor, lack of Internet access is a barrier to vital information on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, health, nutrition, and other key rural development. These structural links between digital access and socio-economic inclusion means that the digital divide disparity feeds that created it. Consequently, many observers have expressed fears that the growth of digital technology will further marginalize the information have-nots.

Comparison

The digital divide has become a common concern in Germany and Finland. Equal access to computers and information systems guaranteed education is seen as an important factor for social cohesion. The digital divide is a considerable gap between those with access to digital information (the rich) and those who are excluded or limited in access to digital information (not have). However, access alone is not the cause of division, the provision of appropriate tools for specific target audiences and effective use of computers and the web is becoming an important factor too, which in turn depends on a lot of conditions. Those who have access to digital information may not be able to use due to disability. The digital divide includes differences related to gender, age and education levels, geographic areas, minority languages and social structures. Students with a disability are different from other student groups in the sense that disability can affect people of families across the social structure and randomly at any time. (Gorski 2003)

With information and communication technologies increasingly influential in all spheres of life, the digital divide is a problem with far-reaching consequences in a broader social scale, specifically in terms of educational attainment and employability. According to Eurobarometer (Benchmarking Report following up the "Strategies for jobs in the information society," "get, get, maintain or improve a job is by far the most important reason for learning to use a ...