Chapter 4: Digital Divide

4.1 Definition of Digital Divide

4.2 Causes of Digital Divide
4.3 Measuring the Digital divide
4.4 Dimension of the Divide
4.5 Bridging the Digital Divide
4.6 pros and cons of the Digital Divide

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 4.1 Definition of Digital Divide
• The term digital divide entered public discourse and became very
popular in the last year of the 1990s (van Dijk, 2000).
• NTIA (1999) define the digital divide as the divide between those
with access to ICTs and those without.
• Focus on the equalization of access to ICTs in terms of physical
access, using technological determinism theory in their hypotheses
and conclusions.
• The gap in access could also be understood as a phenomenon with
three distinct aspects, including
• a global divide (referring to ICT disparities between countries),
• a social divide (referring to the gap in access to ICT between
different sections of a nation’s society) and
• a democratic divide (referring to the difference between those who
do and those who do not use the variety of digital means to engage
in public life) (Norris, 2001). 2
• In accordance with technological determinism,
liberalization and the opening up of markets are
presented as being necessitated by the technology
change that accompanies closing the digital divide.
• This implies that everyone has the same potential to use
technology and to benefit from ICTs, provided that
everyone has access to these.
• Though the above-mentioned authors utilized
technological determinism in their research, they also
supported the theory of social determinism by including
socio-economic factors in their analysis.
• Hence, this suggests that the theory of technological
determinism is not sufficient to explain the situation
regarding the DD.
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• Digital divide implies the gap among those who have access
to digital technologies and those who do not have such
access.
• Digital divide or digital split is a social issue referring to the
differing amount of information between those who have
access to internet and those who do not have access.
• Academic definition:
• The term digital divide refers to the disparity in accessing to
the technologies and resources of the ICT and resources of
the information and communication.
• The digitalization of the economy and the society may
produce differ digitalization of the economy and the society
may produce differences and
• gaps amongst individuals, households, businesses, and
geographic areas, rich and poor countries. 4
 4.2 Cause of Digital Divide
• According to Molinari (2012), there are 3 main
causes of digital divide:
I. Lack of access due to affordability[economic]
II. Lack of knowledge on how to use the
technology
III. Lack of knowledge on the benefits of the
technology.

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 4.3 Measuring the Digital divide
• Measuring the digital divide involves a lot of
criteria concern measuring the digital divide
involves a lot of criteria concerning:
– network access, human capabilities, knowledge and
access, knowledge and application, IT expertise, IT
usage in business sector.
• Also the way in which the technological inequality
is considered can vary in different perspectives, all
having a reasonable fundament.

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 4.4 Dimension of the Digital Divide
• Dimension of the DD refers to an aspect of a digital splits.
• The digital divide depends on five factors that determine the level of
equality of access to IT systems:
1. the existence of physical infrastructure for transmission;
2. the availability of connection equipment such as a computer, modem,
and access line;
3. training in the use of the computers and the Internet;
4. intellectual capacities and the social insertion of users (this is the
product of the educational and intellectual level, profession and the
social network that determines the effective use of information and
the necessities of Internet communication;
5. the production and use of specific contents adapted to the needs of
the diverse segments of the population.
While first the two criteria refer to passive dimensions of Internet access,
the last three dimensions define areas of potential active appropriation.
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• Access Infrastructure – Access infrastructures are
comprised of transmission systems that can function by
way of telephone, satellite, radio, cable television and
electricity wires.
• In the future it will be possible to access the Internet by
way of cellular telephones and digital television
(although digital TV will not allow effective interactivity,
and requires connection to an Internet provider).
• Internet connections can be at either normal or
broadband levels, which determine the speed of
information transfer.
• The availability of both systems is dependent upon the
existence of local providers with equipment for these
services. 8
• Equipment for individual access - The most
common equipment for accessing the Internet is a
computer with a modem and a telephone line
with a dialup access to a service provider.
• The main mechanisms of individual access are:
home, work, school and public or private tele-
centers.
• In low-income sectors without equipment or
access services, access to the Internet depends on
collective access points such as school, work, or
tele-centers.

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• Training - Training in the use of the computer and
the Internet (called digital literacy or e-literacy)
can be offered through formal courses in school or
• at work, private courses, or courses promoted by
non-governmental organizations, or by spending
time in contexts (schools, work or home) where
the Internet is used and people nearby are able to
offer assistance when needed.

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• Intellectual skills of the user - The ability to use the information
available on the Internet as source of knowledge and intellectual
and professional development, depends on the users prior skills.
• This qualification assumes basic literacy and abilities acquired
within the school system.
• Digital literacy cannot be dissociated from book literacy.
• The network multiplies the possibilities for intellectual and
professional work but at least until the present moment, it is not
a substitute for the basic intellectual qualifications that are
acquired at school and its effective potential depends on them.
• Thus social inequality expressed thorough education is
reproduced and increases with use of the Internet.
• As long as much of the population of the developing world
continues to struggle with illiteracy and semi-literacy, universal
access the Internet, will be an illusory goal.
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 4.5 Bridging the Digital Divide

• Digital split arises from a plethora of social,

geographic, & economic factors.
• Consequently, the cleave yields various penalizing
consequences to negatively affected population.
• The most severe percussions include social and
economic exclusions of the affected population.
• Both government & private institutions, globally,
have been fighting to narrow this divide.
• Various initiatives we need to engage to narrow
digital divide under various mentioned capabilities
include:
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• 1. increase digital literacy:
• Basically, most stakeholders confuse digital literacy and computer literacy.
• Computer literacy is the ability to use a computing device, together with
its associated hardware and software components, and the internet.
• Currently, there is no universally accepted definition of digital literacy.
• However, most entities agree that includes but not limited to computer,
information, social media and network literacy.

• Understanding and implementing socio-economic, cultural, political, and

behavioral aspects of digital literacy. Having good knowledge, skill,
attitude, and behavior towards networked devices.
• And, possession of both practical hardware and software skills.
• Thus, in order to bridge the digital divide, we must improve our digital
literacy capacities based on the above-listed parameters.
• Societies should come up with programmes to address the existing
deficiencies across various age groups.
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• 2. Provide operational incentives to ICT entities
• There are various organizations fighting hard to narrow
the digital divide.
• Sometimes, existing Laws and financial barriers thwart
such efforts.
• Providing incentives relieves the burden encountered by
such institutions.
• This responsibility especially lies with the existing
governments.
• A good example is a non-governmental institution
focused on teaching Small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) how to integrate computing into their operations.
• A well-wishing government will chip in by minimizing the
tax obligations of such institutions. 14
• 3. Develop relevant and local content in addition telecommunications
infrastructure
• As individuals and communities, it is easier to learn and put in place concepts
that we relate with.
• And how does this make it possible to bridge the digital divide? The target
audience should directly relate to the benefits they will enjoy from digital
literacy.
• Take the example of a peasant farmer in some rural environment. How will
investing in various skills associated with digital literacy influence him/her?
What does he or she have to gain from such skills? How are they likely to
streamline her daily activities and boost her status?
• With digital literacy, the countryman/woman can realize ways to boost
his/her farming.
• The farmer can easily discover better ways of tendering crops. These benefits
extend to even finding a good market for the farm produce, and much more.
• Furthermore, the farmer will soon discover how to make calculated risks
through crop insurance.
• All such benefits are only workable in a digitally literate society.
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• 4. Encourage the establishment of cyber clubs
• How do you bridge the digital divide by starting a
cyber club? Deny yourself one or two luxuries
which occasionally eat into your finances.
• Equally encourage your friends, families, and
accomplices to follow in your footsteps.
• Consequently, channel the money you would have
spent on the luxuries into one account.
• These funds should then be dedicated to
spreading digital literacy.
• It could be for your kids or in support any
disadvantaged community out there. 16
• 5. Establishment of workable partnerships
between all ICT stakeholders
• More ICT stakeholders should join hands in
abating digital divide.
• These institutions should frequently and jointly
drive various campaigns towards promoting
digital literacy.
• Furthermore, the campaigns need to include all
factors increasing the digital divide. Especially
access and positive use of information and
communication technology.

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• 6. Promote innovations matched towards overcoming the
digital divide
• We need to replace ad hoc ways [done for a particular purpose
as necessary]of doing things if we want to fast narrow the
digital cleave.
• For example, in some developing countries, you will find every
fiber company digging up separate tunnels to lay their cables.
• In other similar countries, internet companies keep digging up
the same tunnel every other time to lay their cables.
• What if such countries come up with a ‘dig once’ policy?
• Constructing single tunnels that can accommodate any other
future investments. Thus reducing the cost of increasing the
scope of cyber networks.
• It is possible to bridge the global digital divide if we promote
innovative ways of doing business. 18
 4.6 pros and cons of the Digital Divide
• Pros of the Digital Divide:
– Increased profitability among business having
unrestricted access:
• With presence of DD, the rich get richer while the poor
decline in the complex of poverty.
– DD help converse culture and keep the societal
structure intact:
• since there is several disadvantages come with unrestricted
access to digital, DD benefits the lower socio-economic
class persons as they can prioritize on focusing their limited
resources on more pressing issue.
– DD phenomenon offers increased opportunities:
• opportunities for personal, educational and occupational
advancement to the advantaged members of the society.19
• Pros of the Digital Divide:
– It is an expensive affair: bridging the gap
is costly
– DD widen the segregation between
people: differences b/n poor and wealthy,
etc
– DD impacts negatively on the economy:
creates economic divides.

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