Week 3 Readings
This week’s theme is the “digital divide” and who it affects, how to shrink it, and why it is so prevalent in today’s world. If you didn’t already know, the digital divide is the gap between a group who is able to utilize technologies like broadband connection or home computers and those who are not. This occurs on an international scale between more developed nations and less developed nations and on a domestic scale between rural and urban settings. However, these are not the only factors that contribute to a digital divide. Household income, literacy, political structure and transparency, etc are all factors in what creates the difference between the haves and the have-nots.
Mobile Internet Use Shrinks Digital Divide
In the New York Time’s article on the increase in mobile internet use, Wortham goes into detail on the difference in users adopting this newer, cheaper way of accessing information. It used to be that ten years ago the commonly accepted Internet aficionado looked like this:
However, that all seems to be changing as we approach 2010. Every day 19 percent of Americans access the Web on a mobile device during regular use. The article reveals that nearly half of all African-American and Hispanic American’s utilize mobile Internet devices to access the Internet, e-mail, and instant message. African Americans are also the fastest group to adopt newer mobile technologies. By comparison, the survey that is used in the article also explains that only 28 percent of white Americans access these new mobile tools.
However as one looks at these statistics and information one thing is clear; the digital divide in America is shrinking due to these new mobile devices. One of the reasons there is a digital divide is the cost of a computer and home broadband connection. These mobile devices offer a much more affordable way for a younger person to start accessing the information they are looking for when it comes to daily Internet use.
“Mr. Horrigan said the shift was particularly noteworthy because the trends could spark a new wave of mobile development that hasn’t been seen before, one that caters to a different set of online needs and use patterns.”
“There’s an app for that.” That’s the first thing that came to my mind after reading that snippet above. Just take a walk around your campus and check out how many people are tapping away on their Blackberries, iPhones, or any of the other countless devices that are able to access mobile Internet. This seems to be the future and companies and innovators are taking that into consideration. These more mobile users want their information to be easy to access, fast, and able to be found with one hand or two fingers.
The most important, and sometimes looked over part of this new mobile world is how it is shrinking the digital divide. Allowing everyone, no matter where they are or what their income is, to have an equal chance when it comes to daily Internet use.
What is the Digital Divide?
This article by Wolff is more of a study and breaks down the digital divide in an easy to understand way. What I was really able to pull from the article was that the digital divide is also connected to other “divides” between countries. For instance, illiteracy, household income, and a lack of political or social infrastructure are all contributing factors to why the digital divide is so drastic in some parts of the world. Wolff’s article suggests that bridging the divide can be linked to how successful that country is. While this bridge cannot bring about economic stability, better living conditions, a proper and transparent political structure; It can provide a link in the development process of achieving these goals.
The divide is a global problem and as you can tell from my paragraph above, directly connected to the success and continued success of a country. In the Wolff article the suggested bridging techniques were pulled from a list complied by a task force developed by the Group of 8. These influential countries are the best chance we have at destroying the digital divide all together. Reducing the commitment cost, educating users, investing in newer technologies, and fostering enterprise and entrepreneurship in the have-not areas of the digital divide is an enormous task. However, the industrialized nations of the world are clearly making an effort to at least try and begin reducing the gap. – Nick Ward
I definately agree with what you said about technology providing a link to bridge the digital divide. It is a step in the right direction for the progress of these countries
I like your picture. I included one in mine from Jurassic Park and I think the author made a very good introduction to the article with describing how this stereotype has changed. Also when reading this article I was reminded by the I-Pod slogan of, “There’s an app for that.” It definitly shows how many features mobile devices have.
Only 19% of people use the internet on their phones? Wow I would think it was way mroe than that. I use mine for atleast at hour every day. I also notice that during classes, atleast 50% of the class is on facebook or FML.
Hey! Where’d you get a picture of my Grandfather from! In other news, I’d completely forgot about the whole app phenomenon going around. Cause there is literally an app for everything now.
Nick, thanks for the great picture. That’s why I love reading your blogs. You folks make me laugh! On a more serious note…technologies are the reason why we have the digital divide. So can technologies provide the solution to the digital divide? I’m thinking how, while mobile phones can bridge the divide for some, it also opens the gap between others.
I think that technologies can help bridge the digital divide, not completely get rid of it. For instance, there are people who use a mobile phone to access the web instead of a computer. Cost is key, and if you can reduce it with any technology it is likely to expand it’s user base and shrink the divide.
It’s interesting to think of the digital divide as something that only fifteen years ago could be seen as recreational. Now its important enough to be discussed on a global level.