...INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE The digital divide, simply put, is the gap between those people and communities with access to information technology and those without it. Yet, the fact is there are many divides, characterized by community, ethnic, economic, and age groups. These differences provide the basis for much research into internet use, and for the identification by some of the digital divide as an increasingly important feature of the growing economic and political gaps within and across 'developed' and 'developing' countries. The internet can be used as a tool for social, political and economic participation. Its facilitation of one-to-many and many-to-many communication and open publishing means that those affected by the divide may suffer disadvantages relating to education, employment and awareness of contemporary issues. The digital divide is now seen as a pressing international and consequently, much research and media attention have been directed at understanding who is affected and why. It is generally accepted that the digital divide is more than just an issue of access, and information technology training and literacy is needed to assist those affected by the digital divide, who can then create content relevant to their needs. Internet and computer use has undoubtedly increased in the United States and the digital divide may be smaller within certain populations. However, it remains a fact that poorer people may not be able...
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...Wired World Paper Though we have sunk our teeth really deep into the debilitating impacts of the digital divide problem – not only in Third-World countries, but also in the world at large – it is, however, still an inexhaustible topic. In the course of my research, I identified a couple articles which expounded on the aforementioned problem and how, in some cases, its presence could be indicative of acute negligence on the path of the leadership of some developing societies. The subsequent paragraphs, therefore, delve deep into the distinct, interesting perspectives from the articles gathered from my research. The first article covers Google’s attempt to bridge the digital divide, particularly in the United States. They also intend to work their way up to the other countries, such as Uganda, where the digital divide problem is supremely exacerbated by misappropriation of national resources and other social issues too. According to Brick, author of ‘Is Google Making the Digital Divide Worse?’, “… [Google] plans to spend $1.5 million this year to support computer science education around the world.” Therefore, it stands to reason that Google is heavily invested in tackling the digital divide problems. As a matter of fact, they envision a future in which “internet access will be a basic human right” (Brick). Thus, the end goal is to provide free WI-FI to developing societies, in Africa, plagued with the digital divide issue. This noble yet arduous undertaking has stirred controversies...
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...Digital divide The digital divide is a term which is used to describe the difference between those who have the access to the information technology this involves mobile phones, internet, computers and television and those who do not have access to these services. The expression can also represent those who have the skills and expertise to use different types of technology. The digital divide can exist between those who are living in rural areas and those who are living in urban areas. Factors that can contribute to the digital divide are economic factor, geographical factor, and fear of technology. One of the factors that contribute to the digital divide is fear of technology as many people do not use technology due to them having less confident about their ability to use computer skills. Due to the lack of confidence in which some people may show this will create digital divide between technology and themselves this means that they will find it harder to access the internet. As well as being able to find jobs. Another aspect that will result in a fear of technology is due to people fearing that others around them will laugh at them which mean that a person will have a low self esteem when trying to use technology. Furthermore factor that it’s the main issue that why people fear technology is due to people being scared of hackers and computer fraud. Overall a fear in technology will result in digital divide due to people not using technology which will mean that they will...
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...lives greatly. This essay concentrates on the digital revolution and the digital divide in the world today. Many today's technology achievements and improvements of people's quality of life should owe to the digital revolution. Digital revolution, which is also named the third industrial revolution or the third technological revolution, means the innovation of computers and the repaid spread of the communication equipments and it includes the revolution of the society and the technology, which usually refer in particular to the arguments created when these technology widely used (H.Jenkins & D.Thorburn, The Digital Revolution, the Informed Citizen, and the Culture of Democracy, 2003, p.1). However, this revolution can to some extent be a wicked problem for its search of solution could never stop and each solution of a digital solution is always a "one-shot" operation as well as the difficulty to generate a solution immediately or ultimately (J.C.Camillus, 2008, p.100). As for the first one, since digital industry is an emerging industry, the problems of the digital revolution can hardly be clarified in the foreseeable future (J.C.Camillus, 2008, p.100). Thus, the same as the wicked problem, the digital revolution has no stopping rule as well since it needs to keep finding new solutions for new problems (J.C.Camillus, 2008, p.100). For the second one, because of the lack experience in the digital industry, the problem appeared in digital revolution is hard to be imitated, so, unlike...
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...the early 80’s. The computer I am referring to was merely a large keyboard that attached to a regular T.V. It didn’t play games, get on the world-wide-web or even have email. All I could do was type in a very large list of code that was already predetermined in order to see what that code would make. Usually it was some sort of design that would flash across the screen but could not be saved onto a hard drive. This same year I received my first Atari. This was the best gift ever, finally I had a game that didn’t consist of a piece of cardboard, a stack of cards and required you to roll a dice to get from point A to point B before your opponent. Now, if we fast forward about 30-years we find that when we use the term computer or gaming system, we think of something entirely different than what I knew from the early 80’s. Today, I have three computers in my house and my son has two gaming systems. All of my computers are top of the line and can do just about anything. My son’s gaming system has WIFI and he can even talk to his friends through the system while playing them on the same screen. While technology has grown leaps and bounds, access to this technology has not made it to every household in America. This is due to many reasons, all of which fall under the term Digital Divide. In this paper I will describe the Digital Divide and who it affects. I...
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...1) The digital divide is a gap many influential bodies are trying to close. How many so called solutions have actually worked and have successfully made permanent positive change in a region. Use supportive evidence in your argument What is the digital divide? For most people living in developed countries, technology is something we are all familiar with. It is fast, it is dynamic, and it changes rapidly. It is everywhere in our lives. Change is ongoing, it is constant. From the emergence of the first personal computers in the 1970s (Beekman and Beekman, 2012), to smart phones today that make earlier computers look like dinosaurs, technology has come a long way. It is so ingrained in our lives it is almost unimaginable to fathom living in a world without it. And yet, some still do. It also begs the question that if ever connectivity was lost would it cause the western world to devolve and become 2nd world countries, or even third world. This paper explores the Digital Divide as it is defined today, the areas which are most affected by this divide, and focuses on Africa, and solutions implemented to try to close the gap. The term “Digital Divide” was coined some time in the 1990s, evolving from a number of definitions. One of its earlier definitions was by Woolinksy, defined as the lack of access to computers (Gunkel, 2003). It has since evolved to be known as the social concern that various groups in the world have a lack of access to Information and Communications Technology...
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...A 'digital divide' can be described as an economic inequality between groups, this simply refers to the amount of people that have access to the latest information technologies and to those who do not. There is a clear digital divide in our modern society, the main denominator being age. Because of the recent advancements in technology, the modern adolescent has grown up with all things digital i.e. The internet, television, games consoles etc. In complete contrast, the adults of todays world lacked most of these ‘modern day necessities’ growing up. The complete and utter difference in lifestyles has ultimately led to a rewiring of the human brain. Children of the modern world are fully adjusted to modern technology and digital media from a very early age whereas the older generation need more time to adapt to the often complicated new technology. "We see marked differences in behaviour within countries – with a clear divide between younger and older groups. Younger people are more likely to use social media and aggregator brands and in all countries they show a strong preference for online." (Newman, Nic, NN, (2013), 'Digital News Report 2013', Uneven Pace of Change - Differences between and within Countries) There are of course many advantages of the new digital society in which we live. The internet can be used as a tool to connect with people all over the world, business conferences can be held via the internet in real time saving time and money for thousands of businesses...
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...Report Title: poverty versus digital divide gap Course- Research Methodology (MGT 411) Presented by:- Md.Tariqul Islam Students of BBA 2nd batch, 4th year 2nd semester Roll no- 06671622 Session 2006-2007 Section- B E-mail:-tareq622 @gmail.com Department of Management Studies Under the supervision of (Mr.Md.Shahidul Islam Fakir, associate professor, department of Management studies) Faculty of Business Studies JAGANNATH UNIVERSITY DHAKA Submission date- June , 2012 Title of report: digital divide gap vs. poverty. Is there any relation between them? Table of content |Serial no |Title |Page no | |1 |Abstract | | |2 |Literature review | | |3 |Background and ICT status of Bangladesh | | |4 |Executive summary | | |5 |Main body (Current scenario, Challenge, Recommendation) | ...
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...FISHThe World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2015 represented the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development' community. The Forum was co-organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It was intended to help organisations coordinate multi-stakeholder activities, information exchange, the creation of knowledge, and the sharing of best practices. Globethics.net organised a workshop on the 29th of May, on "The Ethics of Digital Innovation", during which fundamental questions surrounding the many social, legal and economic repercussions of new digital technologies, and what power relations are at play were raised and addressed. With Prof. Dr Christoph Stückelberger as moderator, four panellists gave their views on some of the ethical issues that they have come across in their own fields, and where they saw the need for a great ethical understanding and awareness. Prof. Patrick-Yves Badillo, Director of Medi@LAB-Genève, with his presentation entitled "New digital divide, or squaring the circle?" intended to delve deeper into the preconceived notions that we might have surrounding the global ‘digital divide'. Digital technologies were seen as the key solution in the 1990s, and as a key factor for growth, competiveness and greater employment. Closing the digital...
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...The Digital Divide INF 103 Computer Literacy Sean O’Leary, DM, MBA 4/21/14 The digital divide is a phrase used to address the gap between those who have ready access to the information and communication technologies, the knowledge that they provide access to, and those who do not. In the global digital information age those who are either unable to access the internet are increased disadvantage in their access to information. In most western nations government policies are being established which attempt to ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to access and effectively use the internet, in order to enable them to participate fully in the educational, social and economic activities. While it can be argued that several factors contribute to the digital divide, economics appears to be the biggest contributing factors for access to the Digital Opportunity Index. The Introduction to Digital Literacy, explains the digital divide as related to threat that results from groups of underprivileged people not having access to computers and the internet. According to Bowles, 2013, the fact that some people have easy access to the benefits computers provide; while many others are cut off from them, is considered an ethical issue. The information rich are on one side, and those who are poor, living in underdeveloped countries, or who live in a rural area with no internet access on the other side. The number of homes in the United States with personal...
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...ideas in the world, giving life to new thoughts and imaginations is what innovation and technology is about. With the help of many recent technologies marvels such as the computer, the internet, ect. And equipped with various advanced methods the world has entered into a modern era of communication. Some further examples of these technologies include photo sharing, video sharing, data sharing, blogs, social networks, podcasts and internet calling to name a few. These technological advancements directly impact our civilizations, changing our cultural trends and reshaping our social perceptions. The media influences the society by presenting persuasive messages to the people, changing people’s thoughts about their appearance, values and behaviors. There is a measurable digital divide between the haves and the have nots in society on both a domestic and global level. The digital divide is a social issue referring to differing amounts of information available to populations. It became a popular term in the 1990’s among scholars, policy makers and advocacy groups. The digital divide includes more than just media concerns. This is because technology is everywhere around us. These areas include, literacy, economic groups, rural growth, disabilities, restrictions on freedom, and the access to basic telephone service. When these factors are working in combination they work together to erode the flow of growth towards bridging the digital divide. There are some places in the world where technology...
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...INTRODUCTION: Digital divide is a term used to describe the inequality between technology haves and have nots. Sometimes, this can refer to the gaps between first world and third world countries, other times it's used to refer to differences among various population groups within an industrialized country (such as the United States). The technology being measured has been a moving target. Early news articles talked about general computer penetration among households. Then, as the Internet became more predominant, Internet access by individuals became the measure. Now, with free Internet access available through most public libraries, experts discuss the quality of access and usage. Even the term "digital divide" is controversial. "Digital" focuses attention on technology over other factors. "Divide" implies a distinct split. My opening sentence referred to haves and have nots, but can everyone really be separated into one group or the other, or is the difference more graduated?. BODY: Do you think that the digital divide is a major problem inside the United States: Why or why not? YES Digital Divide in the U.S. The Digital Divide is the gap between those who have the skills, access and resources for technology and those who do not. This divide is based on factors such as race and class. In order to have access to the Internet one must have the resource to own a computer and pay for Internet connection. Though comparatively inexpensive in the United States, the cost...
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...Chapter 12. & YOUTH INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES(ICT) The definitions and ideas applied to information and communication technologies and the modern media culture are examined in the beginning of this chapter. The characterizations of media culture are then explored from the perspective of young people, and the links between youth and ICT are investigated. The dominant cultural logic with regard to ICT is outlined, and different forms of the digital divide are presented. Some global aspects of ICT use among youth are reviewed, using both primary and secondary sources. New forms of youth socialization brought about by the emergence of ICT are examined, and the chapter concludes with a set of recommendations. INTRODUCTION Young people today live in a world characterized by dramatic cultural, economic, social and educational differences; individual circumstances depend largely on where a person is born and raised. More than 800 million adults (two-thirds of them women) still lack basic literacy skills; at the other end of the spectrum, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is skyrocketing. Notwithstanding the immense diversity in living environments, an unprecedented and unifying global media culture has developed that challenges and often surpasses such traditional forms of socialization as family and school. This complex cultural situation—in which young people are struggling to find direction in their lives or simply to survive, to improve...
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.............................................. 1 DECLARATION ............................................................................................. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... 3 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 4 1.1 Globalisation and hybridization explained from a cinematic perspective ...................................................................................... 4 1.2 The difference between deculturalisation, acculturalization and reculturalisation explained from a cinematic perspective.................. 6 2.1 Three theoretical approaches to the study of the digital divide explained ......................................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Culture shock explained .................................................................. 11 2.2.2 How to overcome culture shock ...................................................... 13 2.3 The role of international media in setting the news agenda of local or...
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...Into the Great Divide The digital divide can be understood as inequalities in four successive types of access: motivation, physical access, digital skills and different usage. It is claimed that the divide has shifted from the first to the last-called types of access in the last ten years. For the purpose of this paper I will touch base on all types of access. Disadvantages Amongst Man Contemporary research of the digital divide and digital skills is marked by a descriptive nature. Inequalities are described using simple demographics of individuals who have more or less access to computers and the Internet and a different level of digital skills. The explanation of these differences has far less attention. One of the reasons for this state of affairs is the predominance of individualistic notions of inequality. Like most social scientific and economic investigations, digital divide research works on the basis of so-called methodological individualism (Wellman & Berkowitz, 1988). Differential access to information and computer technologies (ICTs) is related to individuals and their characteristics: level of income and education, employment, age, sex, and ethnicity, to mention the most important ones. This is the usual approach in survey research, which measures the properties of individual respondents. Making multivariate analyses of several individual properties and aggregating them to produce properties of collectivities, one hopes to find background explanations. This...
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