global digital divide the global digital divide. global digital divide the global digital divide...

Global Digital Divide The global digital divide

The global digital divide


What is it?•The gap, or inequality, in

access to digital technology

worldwide

•This usually means internet

access, but can include mobile

access and even access to apps.

•It’s not quite as simple as

having, or not having, an internet

connection

•In advanced economies,

people often ‘connect’ through

multiple devices.

•These people might be

considered more deeply

connected than those in the

developing world who may have

one, limited, way of connecting.

MultipleConnections

Desktop

Laptop

Xbox

Smart TV

E-reader

Tablet

Mobile


Who is connected and who is not?•Patterns of connections are complex.

•The table below suggests who is more or less likely to have an internet

connection.

•If a person ticked all the boxes in the right-hand column they would be

very unlikely to be ‘connected’.

More likely to be connected Less likely to be connected

Men Women

Young Old

Developed world Developing world

Urban Rural

Democracy Dictatorship

Rich Poor


How old is it?•The digital divide concept is

quite new.

•This is because digital

technology only became common

in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

•However, the idea of a world

divided into ‘haves’ and ‘have-

nots’ dates to the North-South

divide concept of the 1980s.

•The 1981 Brandt Report

outlined this view of a world

divided by wealth and poverty.

•The digital divide is simply a

modern extension of this idea.

The global North-South divide from the original Brandt Report published

in 1981


How is it measured?

•A single measure, such as the

percent of homes with internet

access could be used (see map,

next slide).

•This is a little crude, as people

could have internet on their

mobile, or use internet cafés.

•More useful is an index, which

combines several different

measures of being ‘connected’

•Examples include the ITU

Digital Access Index and ICT

Development Index (IDI)

The IDI components

ICT ACCESS•Fixedtelephone lines•Mobile phone subscriptions •Bandwidth per internet user•% households with a computer•% households with internet access

ICT USE•% individuals using the internet•Fixed broadband internet subscriptions• Active mobile-broadband subscriptions

ICT SKILLS•Adult literacy rate•Secondary enrolment ratio•Tertiary enrolment ratio


Mapping the

divide

•The map shows internet access (% of population with access) in

2012

•Notice the very low access in central and west Africa, especially

among land-locked countries

•Asia has very varied percentage access, South America more even

access


IDI results for 2011

•The IDI top 10 are almost

all northern European

countries, plus Japan and

South Korea.

•All of the bottom 10 are

sub-Saharan African nations.

•China ranked 78th out of

155 countries, with the USA

15th.

•The IDI is strongly linked

with levels of economic and

social development.

IDI top 10 IDI bottom 10

South KoreaSwedenDenmarkIcelandFinlandNetherlandsLuxembourgJapanUKSwitzerland

NigerChadCAREritreaBurkina FasoEthiopiaLiberiaGuineaMozambiqueDRC


Why does it exist?

•The main reason for the

digital divide is economic.

•Digital technology costs

money, and some people

cannot afford it.

•However, its cause is more

complex than just money.

•There are many reasons

why people cannot get

connected:


Does it matter?

Digital access does matter, because it can be a force for

development, increase quality of life and reduce risk:

•Internet and mobile access allow trade to take place over long

distances, opening up income opportunities.

•Digital information can warn of hazards and other dangers.

•Information can be a force for good in terms of challenging

human rights abuses.

•Education and skills development can be delivered digitally.

•Migrants can keep in touch, and even send remittances home,

digitally.