What Is The Digital Divide?

Date First Published: 27th July 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Ethics & Sustainability

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 5/10

Learn about what the digital divide is in this article.

The digital divide refers to the gap between people who have full access to computers and the internet and those who do not. Not everyone has the same level of access to technology, including personal computers, smartphones, internet connectivity, telephones, and television. Digital technology has created a division and unequal access to information and resources amongst the world population.

The digital divide exists between developed and developing countries, those in urban areas and rural areas, between the educated and uneducated, and men and women. It has also indicated an unfair gender divide in favour of men and an age gap in favour of the young.

Impacts Of The Digital Divide

The digital divide has led to people from poorer backgrounds or households being disadvantaged. People living in poor countries have much more limited access to the internet and technology. As technology advances and the world becomes more reliant on it, the impacts of the digital divide are worsening and becoming more serious. This disadvantages people in so many ways, including:

• Most schools make resources available online. Students who don't have access to the internet or a computer at home will be disadvantaged in their learning as they don't have access to this resource and won't be able to use the VLE or online revision sites in their learning. This could lead to students falling further behind in school than people with access. Some schools, colleges, and universities entirely operate over the internet, making it inaccessible to people without internet access.
• Countries without stable broadband access can have difficulties sustaining economic growth. Since millions of people rely on digital devices and connectivity to complete jobs, study for exams, and communicate with other people, digital technology is vital for economic growth.
• It can impact on whether an employer will hire someone. For example, people who do not have access to computers or the internet will not be able to take part in remote or web-based jobs.
• Even for people with some access to technology and the internet, the digital divide can be evident in that some people still use lower-speed wireless connections, cheaper internet connections, like dial-up, and outdated, lower-performance computers. This can make it harder for people to access more modern technologies which require a higher bandwidth and use more processing power.
• Lack of communication. COVID-19 put emphasis on some of the negative consequences of the digital divide. During the lockdown, with more people working from home, the effects of the digital divide were more noticeable. Those coming from poorer households and backgrounds who had more limited access to computers and the internet outside of school and work experienced difficulty working remotely and accessing online services. This caused people to miss out on learning, appointments, and video calls.
• Barriers to digital literacy. People who lack access to digital technology often do not have the opportunity to develop digital literacy skills and it can become more difficult to develop those skills as technology advances and becomes more complex. People who are not digitally literate have much more limited knowledge of using digital technology to create, find, and evaluate information.
• Worsening gender discrimination. The digital divide also worsens some forms of gender discrimination. For example, there are stereotypes around technology being 'for boys' and fear of women being discriminated against. Women who lack equal access to the internet can impact their ability to speak out on issues that affect them, get the information they need, participate in digital societies, and gain an education. It can also lead to women being under-represented in remote or web-based jobs.

Is The Digital Divide Still Around?

Although the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the digital divide with more people working remotely, the digital divide is still around today. According to Ofcom, approximately 1.5 million UK homes did not have internet access in March 2021. Those at higher risk of digital exclusion included older adults, those with financial difficulties, people in lower-income groups, and people living in rural areas. To help close the digital divide, some non-profit groups have provided internet access and laptops to school districts and areas with internet users on a lower income level.

History

When the term 'digital divide' was first introduced well before the late 1990s, it specifically referred to the division between those with and without telephone access. After the late 1990s, the term was also used to describe those with and without internet access, particularly broadband, and those with and without access to a computer.

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