Define the Term Digital Divide.

Digital Divide

Digital Divide refers to the gap between those who benefit from digital technology and those who do not, Or the term digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all. It include’s the imbalances in physical access to technology as well, as the imbalances in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen.

In. words, it is the unequal access by some Members of society to information and communication technology,_: and the unequal acquisition.of related skills. The term is closely related to the knowledge divide as the lack of technology causes lack of useful . information and knowledge. The digital divide may be classified based on gender, income, and race groups, and by locations.

The term initially referred to gaps in ownership of computers between, groups, during which time the increase of ownership was limited to certain ethnic groups. This term initially referred to gaps in the ownership of, or regular access to, a computer. As Internet access came to be seen as a Central aspect of computing, the term’s usage shifted to encompass gaps in not just computers but also access to the Internet.

Recently, some have used the term to refer to gaps in broadband network access. The term can mean not only unequal access to computer hardware, but also inequalities between .groups of people in the ability to use information technology fully.

The discussions on digital divide often are tied with other concepts. Lisa Servon argued in 2002 that the digital divide is a symptom of a larger and more complex problem = the problem of persistent poverty and-inequality. As described by Mehra (2004), the four major components that contribute to the digital divide are “socioeconomic status, with income  educational level, and race among other factors associated with technological attainment”.