Network

The average number of internet-connected devices per household is at an all time high for westernized countries. At the least, most of us have a personal computer, a smart phone, and maybe a tablet laying around. The abundance of ICDs per household has made it so we are virtually never without internet connection, a privilege that many of us are so accustomed to that we may not even see it as a privilege, but rather a necessity. The ability to instantaneously pull up any information desired with a click of a button was revolutionary and gave rise to what we now call the Information Age. But, not all of us have the means to contribute and benefit from this blossoming Information Age. We have seen a disparity between developed and developing countries in terms of internet penetration. The term digital divide is often used among researchers to describe this disparity. “The term ‘digital divide’ is used to cover a broad range of social differences in access to and use of digital equipment and services, most notably personal computers, and the ability to access the internet in terms of both physical connection and facility of use. “(Sparks) The differences in the lives of those who have easy access to the internet and computers, and those who do not are enormous. Strategies to close the digital divide between developed and developing countries has proved itself to be a topic worthy of much research and debate. Numerous studies have been done to address the issues that inhibit developing countries from catching up with westernized countries in internet connectivity.



SPARKS, COLIN. "What Is The "Digital Divide" And Why Is It Important?." Javnost-The Public 20.2 (2013): 27-46. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.

--Julie