Blog Post # 5 - Digital Divide

The final chapters in the book for web publishing class talk about the digital divide and the role technology plays in the democracy.

I found a great article on the Internet that ties into this subject. The article is titled, The Upgraded Digital Divide: Are We Developing New Technologies Faster Then Consumers Can Use Them?

When I think of the digital divide, I think simply of people with computers and those without them, and how the former group has such a major advantage over the latter. But this article forces me to expand my thinking.

The article talks about how new technologies continue to upgrade and add more features than they previously offered. These features are referred to as “bells and whistles.” At any rate, so many “bells and whistles” are offered these days on computers, cell phones, ipods, and cameras that people feel inclined to upgrade and keep up with the joneses.

While increased technology appears to be good because it offers more features and seems to be more convenient, is it really? The article says no, because with so many “bells and whistles” people rarely use them all and generally stick to the basics. They just like knowing the have the other capabilities.

So, what does all this many for the digital divide? Well, all of this is making the digital divide deeper or wider, if you will. The “have-nots” already are at a disadvantage because they don’t have the basic technology. And as the technology increases it puts them at even more of a disadvantage because when they do get the basics they are still going to be behind the “haves.”

The article makes the upgraded digital divide seem unnecessary because people aren’t even utilizing the extra functions of their appliances. But companies are all about profits and they are constantly in competition to offer the next new thing. Their quest for money in a free democracy is hurting those “have-nots” tremendously.

I feel because of all this the digital divide is unfortunately here to stay. No matter how many programs we enact or services we offer to help those left behind by technology we will never be able to reach them completely. For every step we take, new and improved devices take two more steps and we will simply never be able to catch up.

The book discuses the demographics of those “have-nots” including age, race, education, and socioeconomic status. Basically, “have-nots” are generally older, non-white, low education, and low income. In other words, a disadvantage in one category usually rolls over into another. So, where is there a chance for upward mobility?

While upgrading technology is a blessing to some, it is a curse to others.