There are some things that most people agree should be universally available. Water. Food. Shelter. Wifi? With all the problems in the world, distributing tablets may feel like a low priority. And yet it’s also true that digital fluency has become a requisite part of finding success in modern society.
Digital accessibility is required for school work. It’s also a key element of virtually all high-paying jobs. In this article, we talk about what the digital divide is, why it’s a problem, and what can be done about it.
First, What Is the Digital Divide?
Simply put, the digital divide is the gulf between people who have access to the internet, and those who don’t. Of course, in a world where some people have the Internet in their pockets, and others have to take to spend forty minutes on a city bus to get to the library, access is a relative term.
Usually, in the context of discussions on the digital divide, the idea of accessibility is that the person in question can use the internet to meet their needs — school, work, etc.
Often, the digital divide is drawn along socioeconomic lines. Middle to upper-class households rarely need to think about their ability to access digital technology, while those of more limited means may struggle to afford pricey hardware or even monthly WIFI subscriptions.
There are, however, other ways that the digital divide plays out in modern society.
Between Nations
An entire book could be written on the differences in access to key resources that wealthy nations have compared to poor ones. Indeed, many such books exist. We won’t dive too deeply into the matter here. However, it is, of course, true, that many impoverished nations have little to no access to digital technology.
While this may seem inconsequential compared to say, getting food and water, there is a strong association between digital literacy and wealth. Aside from the fact that many of the highest paying jobs involve some form of tech skills, it’s also simply true that digital accessibility allows people to earn a living, even when opportunities to do so in their own communities are limited.
Age
Other instances of “digital divides” are generational. People who did not grow up with digital technology in their schools or places of work may have trouble adapting to these tools at an advantaged age. While instances of the digital divide amongst the elderly population may not impact one’s ability to make a living it can be isolating.
Skill gaps can be bridged through outreach and educational opportunities. Many libraries and other public institutions offer classes designed to help people develop tech skills.
Disadvantaged Populations
We already touched on the socio-economic dynamics of the digital divide. Children in low-income communities are less likely to have access to digital technology. This has always been a problem, but coming off two years of remote learning, it will likely prove to have serious long-term ramifications.
During Covid lockdowns, thousands of children fell completely out of contact with their school systems — often owing to accessibility.
When people talk about the “school to prison pipeline” this is often what they mean. When kids leave their education without the skills necessary for gainful employment, the odds that they will have problems with the criminal justice system increase significantly.
This is a significant problem, of course. However, it’s important to understand that people living in low-income areas are not necessarily the only ones being impacted by it.
The Rural Problem
Rural America has notoriously poor access to digital technology, even amongst populations who have the financial means to afford it. Why? Mostly, it’s a matter of infrastructure. It would cost internet providers many millions to establish the infrastructure necessary to provide rural America with uninterrupted high-speed services.
For some isolated, low-population communities, this is an investment that many providers aren’t willing to make.
Not only does this make it difficult for rural communities to connect with the larger world, but it disadvantages children and school systems just as much as instances of the digital divide in low-income communities.
What Must Be D one?
Unfortunately, there is not a single solution to the problem of the digital divide that everyone can agree on. Many instances of fixing the problem may depend on legislative action. For example, government-funded subsidies to pay for wireless infrastructure in rural communities.
Or free or affordable access to digital technology in low-income areas. There are already programs — often run by school systems — that take on some of this work. Many schools already provide their students with tablets or chrome books that students can take home.
This is an important first step. However, as digital fluency becomes increasingly intrinsic to success, it will be more important than ever to ensure that people of all backgrounds can enter digital spaces with as little friction as possible.