Ian Gibbons

1
A Discussion on The Digital Divide

• Ian Gibbons
• Hillsborough Community College
• 10/31/09

2
Objectives

• What is the Digital Divide?
• How is it affecting you, people, business,
  nations around the world?
• Social life
• Economic
• Political
• What can be done to bridge the divide?

3
A Look at The Digital Divide

• Digital Divide
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vpGwqDQNERk4NR1
• In America
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vzl6k8bBCaoIfeature
  related

4
What is the Digital Divide?

• Differing amount of information between those who
  have access to the Internet and those who do not
• The difference is not necessarily determined by
  the access to the Internet, but by access to
  Information and Communications Technologies
• Access to the Internet is only one aspect
• quality of connection (specially broadband
  access)
• availability of the access how close
• cost of access affordable
• Definition - a moving target - Why?

5
Group Assignment

• How is it affecting you?
• How is it affecting your country?
• How is it affecting our world?

6
How is affecting our world?

• Haves vs. Have-nots
• Urban vs. Rural
• Young vs. Elderly
• Ethnicity/Religion/Culture
• Develop countries vs. Developing countries
• High-income vs. Low-income
• Educated
• Disabilities
• Timing time lag

7
Impact
NOT JUST COMPUTER SKILLS
NOT JUST COMPUTER JOBS
8
The Economic Impact

• Cost of Goods and Services
• Imported Goods cost higher
• Domestic Goods - cost and distribution higher

9
Politics

• Democratic Government
• Will the use of the Internet lead to more and
  healthier democracies
• more information in the hands of people gt
  better decisions?
• Authoritarian Government
• Place limits on the access and the content of
  internet
• less information in the hands of people gt
  better decisions?

10
Trade

• Balance of Trade
• Import i.e.
• Export i.e.
• Trade surplus or trade deficit
• The Digital Divide impact on
• Import of IT Services
• Export of IT Services

11
Indias Role in The Globalization of IT

• Import and Export of IT Services

USD (Billion) Expected
12
The Status - Today

• Internet Penetration
• Broadband access

13
Group Assignment

• What is the Internet Penetration for each
  continent? and
• What is the Internet Penetration for
• Turkey
• Brazil
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Belize
• Egypt
• Indonesia
• South Africa

14
Internet PenetrationBy Continent
15
Internet PenetrationBy Country

• Brazil 34.0
• Guatemala 09.9
• El Salvador 10.6
• Belize 10.4
• Egypt 15.9
• Indonesia 10.4
• South Africa 09.4
• Mexico 24.6

16
Bridging the Digital Divide Technology
Initiatives

• Open Source Initiative
• Recycling
• Power Line Communication
• Satellite Communication
• Wireless Communication Technologies
• WiFi
• WiFi mesh networking (many laptops can connected
  to the net if one is attached) - 802.11s
• WiMax

17
Bridging the Digital Divide Technology
Initiatives (Continued)

• Encourage internet cafes hot spots in
• Community Centers
• Libraries
• Health Centers
• Cafes
• Develop and utilize Universal Service Funds
• Encourage local content
• Integrate digital and media literacy as critical
  elements of education

18
Bridging the Digital Divide Global Initiatives
(examples)

• AMD Corporation 50x15 program
• McDonald's McInternet - Brazil
• Indigenous communities in the State of Chiapas
  provided with computing technology and Internet
  access Mexico
• Mpilonhle and ecosystem partners introduce mobile
  eHealth initiative in - S. Africa
• One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
• One computer per child

19
Bridging the Digital Divide Global Initiatives
(examples)

• Panama launched
• Internet For All Initiative

20
Digital Divide

• What initiatives are you aware of?
•  
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v2Ul7br9iCYEfeatur
  erelated
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vaknH948kzr8NR1

21
References

• Aggarwal, A. (2008, July). Indias Role in the
  Globalization of IT. Communications of the ACM.
• World Summit on the Information Society.
  http//www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/newsroom/stats/
• Epsicokhan, J. (2004, February 20). Confessions
  of a closet trekkie.      Retrieved October 12,
  2009, from Jammer's Reviews website
     http//www.jammersreviews.com/articles