Technology is a big part of our lives You can talk shop read play games and watch movies on your computer or mobile device You can even go to school online But not everyone can access or use the Internet Only 40 percent of the world’s people have Internet access Approximately 4 5 billion people do not have an Internet connection This is the simplest definition of the digital divide It is the gap between those with ready access and those without Another term for this gap is digital inequality Many people cannot afford a computer and high-speed Internet Others live in rural areas where In the United States many people can access the Internet even in the park WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE 1 4
fast Internet is not available Some governments prevent their citizens from using all or part of the Internet Some people may have limited ability to use the Internet They lack education have disabilities or speak a language other than English Many people experience a combination of these factors The digital divide is not just one divide It’s many THINK ABOUT IT What are three possible causes of the digital divide Reread the text on these two pages to find the causes 15 Percent of Americans who do not have access to high-speed Internet The digital divide is the gap between those who have ready access to the Internet and those who do not Reasons for digital inequality can include income education and age They may also include language disability geography and politics Many rural areas do not have access to fast Internet 5
Information is power You might use the Internet to watch a movie or play a game But you can also use it to better your life People can use the Internet to communicate across long distances They can make decisions based on news and research they find online They can make and manage money Readily accessing the Internet is a huge advantage in many ways People who can are considered information rich People who do not have ready access to the Internet are considered information poor They do not have the same opportunities as those who have ready access For example they do not have access to online banking or health news and information They cannot shop get Internet access can give you an advantage in your education and career WHY DOES THE DIGITAL DIVIDE MATTER 2 6
SECOND-LEVEL DIVIDE Sometimes most of a country’s population has access to technology But a skill gap may still exist This is called the second-level divide The more technical skills you have the more likely you are to be online You are more likely to bank and search for a job online You are more likely to stay informed about government and politics 4 billion Estimated number of people worldwide expected to be without Internet access by 2017 The digital divide determines who has information and who does not People without Internet access have less information and thus less power and fewer opportunities Lack of Internet access can leave some people behind academic help or search for a job online They may not be well informed about political issues When many people in a country lack Internet access it affects the entire nation Nelson Mandela was a human rights activist and president of South Africa He wrote eliminating the difference between information rich and information poor is also critical to eliminating economic and other inequalities Nelson Mandela knew being information poor put people at a disadvantage 7
