Week+4+Lecture

Week 4 CCT 205
 * Crossing the Digital Divide**

Differential access to and use of the Internet Distribution of benefits of digital technology globally and within societies Gap between those who have access to Internet and those who don’t Polarization of society into tech. haves and have-nots? -- Gap between people with and without technology -- Information— knowledge- based society -- If you do not have information -> do not go anywhere
 * Digital Divide: A Definition**

__Importance of Ability to Access & Share Information__ -- Time saved by sharing information -- Improve product with customer feedback -- Customization instead of mass-production -- Rural area has more ability to reach out globally -- Access resources in library -- Online course for disabled
 * Efficiency**: ratio of output to cost
 * Effectiveness**: quality of products & services
 * Reach**//:// ability to contact new customers/clients
 * //Equity//:** distribution of development benefits throughout society

__Access to Information: Efficiency__ Ratio of outputs to costs Ex. - Just in time manufacturing & inventory systems Ex. Use of information on weather & soil content to improve agricultural yield

__Access to Information: Effectiveness__ Quality of products and services Ex. - Improving health care through telemedicine – remote medical diagnosis Ex. - More relevant educational delivery

__Access to Information: Reach__ Ability to contact new customers/clients Ability to reach global markets through the Internet

__Access to Information: Equity__ Distribution of development benefits through society Information spread to rural or remote areas Minority and disabled populations have greater access to information

__Internet Usage: Canada__ Internet Usage Statistics in Canada: AY 2000 – 40.3% AY 2003 – 63.8% AY 2004 – 64% Canada has one of the highest rates of Internet usage in the world. 90% of users using e-mail at least weekly.

__Access in Canada__ //Income// Cdn households with income below $10,00 = less than 20% internet access Cdn. households with income above $70,000 = 60% internet access Education – university level = more access Children at home = more internet access & increased usage opportunities 90% teenagers have access; 5% of those over age 70 Gender: slightly less women than men have access Location: urban dwellers have considerably more access than those in rural areas -- Income impact on accessibility

__Access in USA__ Race/ethnicity: USA minorities (Blacks, Hispanics, native Americans) less likely to have access to internet than whites and Asian in USA Age: Older adults less likely to have access to internet than younger people; older women less like to go online than older men Gender: Proportion of women online nearly equal to men. 86% women in age 18-29; 80% Men use internet for activities (banking, trading stock, auctions); women use it for communication & health

__Barriers to Access__ Economic/budgetary/cost and income barriers - Lack of adequate public access locations - Lack of updated equipment/technology - Urban/rural and regional disparities - Lack of Internet awareness; complacent population - Fear of using new technology - Difficulties for those whom English is not their first language - Lack of access for special needs/disabled people - Lack of free public Internet training and support

__3 Aspects of Digital Divide__ (Norris, 2000) 377 million internet users worldwide in 2000. 5% of world pop. Barriers: skills, resources, infrastructure Opportunities: wireless technology, decreasing cost of hardware, software &services, public sector initiatives to improve infrastructure, training & knowledge Cyber-optimists: tech. can eradicate poverty in developing countries Cyber-pessimists: tech. increased disparities between North and South -- Barriers in training in infrastructure
 * Global divide (Center/periphery inequities)**

//Global Divide: Questions// What explains variations across countries in internet use? Levels of socio-economic development? Investment in human capital? Process of democratization? Does the internet create new inequalities or reinforce existing divisions?

Digital divide within societies = uneven distribution of technological opportunities Factors: income, race, ethnicity, age, gender Questions: Will digital inequities fade over time or persist? Are there special barriers to digital technologies? Will relative inequalities in internet use be similar to disparities in penetration rates of older communication technologies?
 * Social Divide** (Norris, 2000)

Impact of digital technology on distribution of power and influence in political systems Cyber-optimists: more direct democracy (political chat rooms, electronic voting, mobilization of virtual communities) Cyber-pessimists: internet politics privileges the elite who already are active Insurgent movements: aided by internet to mobilize and express opinions outside of mainstream
 * Democratic Divide** (Norris, 2000)

Growth of connectivity via internet – could alter balance of resources and power between insurgent challengers and established organizations within political system Horizontal networks=informal networks, social movements, interest groups Tips balance of political resources from $s, members & bureaucracy to skills & know-how Easier to challenge traditional sources of authority (govts., international bodies)
 * Closing Democratic Divide** (Norris, 2000)

//Civic & Political Involvement// Internet activism: does it weaken legitimacy of governing process by encouraging small special interest communities? Is attention being diverted away from traditional politics? Internet: does it remove a layer of filtering of political information done by gatekeepers of the mainstream media?

Different kinds of information are used by different groups for different purposes 2 tiered information structure: Social and economic information used by corporations and information elite for business & education purposes Junk information used by marginalized groups for entertainment Privatization of information with recent information only available to those who can afford it. Collection of socially important information neglected
 * Information and Usage Gap** (Schiller 1996)

//Crisis in Information?// “Despite the… capabilities of the new information technologies and the proliferation of electronic information networks, there is little likelihood that the data deficit will disappear. “ Schiller, 1996 “Trends in connectivity suggest that polarization of access is like to become the norm in society..in the foreseeable future” HRDC Report, 2000

Near users: barriers=cost/affordability + technical skills development + social understanding Distant users: no interest or perceive no value in internet for meeting their economic/social/cultural needs Far removed from online activities: lack resources, interests, skills to benefit from access – over
 * Dual Digital Divide: Types of Non-Users**

Women more likely to fear the internet than men Child pornography Credit card fraud Wide scale fraud Destructive computer viruses Hacking into business information
 * Content on Internet (PEW Internet & American Life)**

-- Additional notes taken during lecture