Digital divide in access and inequality

Digital Divide

Many see the digital divide as a concept that is applicable not only on a global scale, but also on a national one. Rather than rich countries reaping all the rewards of the digital age, while those in poor countries continue to suffer because of a lack of resources, the rich and poor within a single country, and particularly in the United States, face the same paradigm.

Much has been said and written about the abject poverty of some citizens within Westernized societies. The United States is a particularly poignant example of this problem. The country, claiming to have opportunities for all, in reality has opportunities only for some, and particularly for the rich. Like other basic resources, such as food, water, and literacy, the concept of information literacy is becoming increasingly important in the world today. The rich, with access to computers and Internet software, have the power to become information literate and to make use of the many opportunities offered by the Internet. The poor, on the other hand, have no such resources and remain bewildered in a world where information is exchanged at increasing rates, with no opportunity for those left behind to catch up.

Another rather sad reality, as cited by DigitalDivid.org, is the fact that software engineers, like most business people, cater to those perceived as profitable for their business, and not particularly to those most in need of resources. Those who do cater for the lower income groups in the country do so with lower quality software, and therefore tend to widen rather than close the gap between the rich and the poor. The problem within the United States is therefore perpetuated by digital software countries who see the only function of their assets and solutions to be one of profit.

On a global scale, the problem is even more significant. Countries such as the United States, regardless of the ever widening divide within its borders, are generally perceived as rich. And indeed, these countries also act rich in the global arena. Continents such as Africa and other third-world countries, on the other hand, are generally perceived as poor and also act in this way. These countries mainly obtain their domestic product income from agriculture, and not from information technology, because they simply do not have the resources nor the expertise to make a place for themselves in the digital world. Once again, this widens the gap between rich and poor countries, in that the latter do not have the means or opportunity to learn how they can also reap the benefits of digital technology.

Many solutions have been offered for overcoming the digital divide. The first and most important is that a paradigm shift must occur in terms of perceptions and belief. The rich must understand the need of the poor to make use of the opportunities offered by digital technology. Secondly, the paradigm shift must be supplemented with action, and indeed, programs have already been implemented to accomplish this. According to Flexibility Ltd., for example, Arizona has created a program through which to provide rural communities with digital technology. Similar programs have been founded in Scotland and the United Kingdom.

I believe the most important role players in closing the digital divide is the government on both a national and a local scale. Government agencies should then become part of programs such as those mentioned above, to ultimately guarantee the well-being of all the races within the borders of a country.