Inf_Computer_Lit_-_Digital_Divide

| The Digital Divide | Computer Literacy INF 103 INSTRUCTOR: | 5/13/2013 | | Virtually everything we do involves using a computer and the internet. The inability to provide access, to all people no matter their geographic location, places countries, communities, businesses and people at a disadvantage. In this research paper, I will discuss what the digital divide is, who it affects, the advantages of access and what is being done to bridge the divide. “The digital divide refers to the gap between those who can effectively benefit from information and computing technologies (ICTs) and those who cannot”. (Internet world stats, 2012) Less developed countries have little or no access on to the internet. Bridging the “digital divide” through providing technology access to less developed countries has the power to impact changes in education and culture. Can you imagine life without the internet or a cell phone' This is a reality for the people living in less developed countries, like Africa and even rural America. According to Internet world stats.com, “Asia and North America are the highest users of the internet. This is not a surprise as most technical advancements come from countries like China and the USA. With the digital, divide being an increasing topic of interest as we progress technologically as a society. It’s important to understand why the “divide” exists and what the main factors behind it are. Internet access is one aspect of the “divide”, other factors such as the quality of connection and related services are also relevant. Today the most discussed issue is the availability of the access at an affordable cost and quality (Internet world stats, 2012). The ability for countries to, efficiently connect to the internet with speed and quality is reliant on the country’s economic standing. For example, Africa is one of the largest continents in the world, population of 1,073,380,925 that is more than America with a population 941,968,792. Yet Africa only makes up 7.0% of the world internet users (Internet world stats, 2012). This is an example of the gap that exists between developed and underdeveloped countries. Affordability is one of the main factors behind why people remain discounted form the internet. In Africa, waiting times for new fixed-line connections reached more than 10 years in some parts of the continent, while landline services do not extend far beyond the main towns in many countries. (Ford & Noury, 2010) As technology is advancing, there are many third world countries being, left in the dust. Students have less access to technology and the information provided on the internet thus putting them at an educational disadvantage, affecting the likely hood of having higher paying jobs and economic opportunities in the future. The convenience, speed and user-friendly nature of the internet has captured the world. It is unfortunate that the citizens of countries lacking ICT’s miss out on the “internet experience”. There are some strong arguments as to why it’s important to provide access to all people. Here are a few to consider. Economic equality and social mobility are a basic component of our lives today. Vast amounts of vital information relating to people’s careers, safety, schooling and welfare services are accessed thought the internet. Some countries have invested and supported their citizens, by implementing programs that aim to bridge the digital gap. A program called Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) works in conjunction with other countries in the world to pursue accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools and outreach, and research and development Democratically there are advantages to providing access to all people regardless of their social class. For example, when thinking about elections the focus is on the amount of votes a party receives. By giving people in underdeveloped countries (or rurally) the opportunity to register and vote will only increase public participation, thus creating a healthier democracy. Not only does access provide participation it also has the ability to increase a countries economy. Economic growth relies on access to the internet to create a platform for businesses to link employees, customer, and business partners. As wed-related change is rapidly advancing opportunities to capture productivity and performance improvements, exploit emerging web trends and embrace new, flexible organizational structures enables business to have a competitive edge advancing a countries economic growth. In an effort to bridge the divide, people, countries and organizations are working towards effectively providing ICT’s to the underdeveloped world. “the latest World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held inTunis (November 2005), highlights the importance and potential of ICTs in improving the socioeconomic development of all human beings, and that ICTs should not only be seen as a medium of communication but also as a development enabler to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)” ( Ahmed, 2007). The eight-millennium goals are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development. There is a growing body of evidence showing that ICT’s have a significant impact on whether or not these MDG’s will be reached. In places where the digital divide is present, there is a new form of poverty, “information poverty”. Citizens from under developed countries struggle with survival, health and prosperity. The digital divide furthers their connection to the rest of the world. Access to the internet undoubtedly is necessary in today’s society. The speed, reliability and convenience of the internet has revolutionized the way the world communicates personally and in business. In an ideal world, digital opportunity would mean that, the whole population would have easy access to ICTs at affordable prices; all homes would be equipped with ICT devices; and all citizens would have mobile ICT devices. In summarizing the digital divide, we can conclude that underdeveloped countries, communities and citizens living remotely are predominantly at a disadvantage as little or no access to the internet is prevalent. The lack of access affects people culturally, socially, technologically and professionally. To bridge the digital divide globally, governing bodies and technology developers aim to raise awareness and implement strategies to improve people’s life conditions though technology. Eradicating the gap can equalize the world, giving the less fortunate access to the same information and opportunities we have. References Bottom of Form Close Ahmed, A. (2007). Open access towards bridging the digital divide–policies and strategies for developing countries. 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