The Digital Divide

It is normal to most of us to get on the internet from our computers, cell phones or even on our mp3 players. We do not think twice about it, we think everyone has this type of access. Although this is normal for most of us, there are millions of people who do not have this power and access. This is known as the Digital Divide.

The digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those who do not. There are two types of divides and they are the global divide which is the divide between the whole world and the social divide which is the divide within a nation.

It is quiet clear that those who have make a low income, had minimal education and live in poor areas are the ones without Internet access. One of the reasons are because they just can not afford the technology and the Internet, there is a physical imbalance.

There is a study that says that places without Internet access are behind on education because they do not have access to all the information out there. On the other hand, there is the argument that these children have access to the libraries provided by the states and it is free. But what about on a global scale, for example, places like Africa and it is dangerous to walk to the library due to the rebel tribes or they live to far from a library.

According to an article by the New York Times, “lack of broadband Internet access deprives countries of the possibility of building up offshoring industries,” said the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Countries without Internet access are not reaping the rewards that the Internet could provide for them.

So what do you to fix this gap? Well there are several countries, like Japan, that are trying to get together and make it possible for everyone to get access to the Internet. They are trying to create a broadband access that will reach all over the world.

Then the question comes up about actually owning a computer. Right now there are several non-profit organizations that are working to provide every child with a laptop around the world, for example, One Laptop Per Child. They are trying to give every child a XO computer that has built-in access to the Internet but also great for learning purposes.

It is critical that we bridge the digital divide and make it possible that everyone has access to the Internet, rich or poor. Everyone deserves a chance to be able to explore the Internet and learn.