Digital Divide

Levels of Access

Having access to the equipment and the network is only the first of four levels of access that affect a person’s ability to use technology for different life purposes. The following four levels of access are relevant:

• 1.
  Access to state-of-the art digital equipment, programs, and networks. The first level of access is simply access to up-to-date hardware, software, and connectivity. Providers of software continue to publish newer and newer versions of software which may only run on newer computers, tablets, and phones. Access to the latest Internet resources often requires hardware, software, and Internet browser updates. The cost of keeping up-to-date is increasingly problematical for people in low-income and marginalized communities.
• 2.
  Access to learning opportunities to use technology effectively. The second level of access includes learning opportunities. What kinds of resources are available, on both sides of the divide, to people that can provide help in how to manage, run, and often fix digital devices and network connections? Ironically, many resources for learning how to use technology are freely available on the Internet, but a person needs to have access to broadband networks and low-cost Internet providers to access the help they need. In addition, in many rural communities, and especially on Indian reservations, networks may be weak and hard to use, limiting access to education and support.
• 3.
  Access to meaningful and equitable content. The third level of access relates to the content that is available to us on the Internet. It is possible to access meaningful and useful content not only as consumers but also in terms of our ability to be producers of content. Whose voices are heard on the Internet? Who controls most of the content on the Internet? Although the Internet provides some access to participant-determined content such as Wikipedia, Facebook, LinkedIn, and similar social media sites, growing and well-funded corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, and Pearson and other educational testing and materials companies still occupy a great deal of space [Page 627]and own powerful broadband access to Internet resources. There is currently much debate about the issue of net neutrality in terms of whether access to the Internet should be regulated by federal laws such as those used to regulate the distribution of older technologies such as utilities and phones. Opponents of regulations to ensure neutrality on the net argue that the Internet is a completely different type of utility, with broad access from many more points and directions, thus making regulation difficult.
• 4.
  Systems that ensure equitable access to creating, sharing, and exchanging digital content. Scholars such as Kathleen Fulton, Paul Resta, Gwen Solomon, and Karin Wiburg insist that networked technologies represent the convergence of vital communications, information, economic, educational, and social resources, and that lack of equitable access is in fact lack of access to the opportunity to fully participate and thrive in the political life of different countries.

Effect of the Digital Divide on Economic Well-Being

As more businesses and services become accessible on the Internet, those who have easy access via fast connections and mobile devices have what can be called a digital device advantage. As digital devices have become the standard way of doing business, the digital divide has widened in areas of life once not affected by technology. The following example shows the effect of not having access to employment. At a recent job fair observed by the author in a local school district, a large number of people filled the hall of the district’s meeting room. However, after the district announced that they would not accept paper applications and that all jobs required an online application, at least a third of the attendees left. This announcement pertained to all jobs, not just teaching or instructional assistance, but also jobs such as bus drivers, custodians, part-time cafeteria workers, and groundskeepers. The job application required not just access to a mobile device such as a smartphone but also access to a good computer and an ability to upload files, including scanning information and adding that information to the application. Many low-income people wanting a job do not have access to either Level 1 or Level 2 of the required resources for access.

...