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Chapter 18: Digital Divide

 * //Pippa Norris//**

//There are three distinct aspects of// Digital Divide:
 * 1) Global Divide
 * 2) Social Divide
 * 3) Democratic Divide

Global Divide
Refers to the divergence of Internet access between industrialized and developing societies.

- When there are technological advancements, countries that are already developed, benefit more from the advancement then poorer, non-industrialized countries. - Metcalf’s law suggests that the value of a network is proportional to the square number of people using it. Therefore the more people linked to the internet, the greater its utility, the more it attracts.

- UNESCO says that most of the worlds population lacks basic access to a telephone, let alone a computer

//UN Argues:// //The network society is creating a parallel communications system: one for those with income, education and connections, and the other for those without connections, blocked by high barriers of time, cost, and dependent upon updated information.//

- With connectivity as the umbilical cord, enthusiasts hope that the internet will eventually serve multiple functions as the world’s fav. Public library, school, med. Database, post office, telephone etc.

- Many observers have emphasized that the emerging years of the internet age have generated substantial worldwide inequalities in access and use, although if overcome, it is widely believed that dig. Technologies will provide multiple opportunities for development.

Cyber Optimists believe that technology can help eradicate poverty in developing countries, thus aiding in closing the global divide. While Cyber Pessimists believe that technology will further increase disparities between the north and south leading to a widening of the gap.

Social Divide (Social Stratification)
Refers to the gap between information rich and poor in each nation (within countries)

- There are inequalities within countries that are technologically advanced (i.e. USA or Australia) - As the internet become increasingly central to life (by providing work opportunities, education, knowledge etc.) it becomes even more important to attain such resources.

- Poorer neighborhoods, working class households and peripheral rural communities lack access

- Many ppl are being left behind in the information age

- Division between info-haves and have nots.

- Cyber skeptics believe that technologies adapt to society, not vice versa.

- While cyber optimist hope that the dig. Divide will eventually succumb to the combined forces of technological innovations, markets and the states.

- If a certain group is systematically excluded from the Internet, they miss out on opportunities for work

Democratic Divide
Refers to the difference between those who do, and don’t use the panoply of digital resources to engage, mobilize and participate in public life.

- Potential impact of the Digital World on the distribution of power and influence in political systems.

- The use of the internet by groups and social movements is often believed to exemplify digital politics

- As the internet evolves, a darker vision from the cyber-pessimist regard digital tech. i.e Pandora’s Box: unleashing new inequalities of power and wealth, reinforcing deeper divisions between rich and poor.

- Which means: Internet politics will disproportionately benefit the elite.

- Democratic Divide deals with cyber-optimism and cyber–pessimism and their effects on the digital divide

- Cyber- Optimism: Belief that technology will lead to a more direct democracy, thus aiding in closing the divide. - Cyber- Pessimists: Belief that internet politics only privilege the elite who have access.