DIGITAL DIVIDE

In this world that technology is the primary way of communication, study research and source of different knowledge. The interaction between human and computers has become rampant as we live in 21st century. And the ability to access computers and internet has been increasing due to public demand. This situation gave us questionable expression, what will happen to those people who do not have this access.

Digital divide is merely described as a gap in terms of access to and usage of information and communication technology. It also talks about having or not having access. Somehow digital divide define as an economic and social inequality with regards to access, use of, or impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). While obtaining access ICT’s and using them actively it has been linked a number of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Among these income, education, race, gender, geographic location (urban-rural), age, skills, political awareness, cultural and psychological attitudes can also attributes in the increasing number of reasons in building the digital divide gap.

 As for geographic location, people living in urban places such cities have more access in internet and show more usage computer services than those in rural areas. By this we can say that people living in urban places is luckily enough to have access in such thing “internet”. They can easily connect to other people by means of communication, they will more accessible and easy to gain more knowledge, most of all they will not experience social-neglect and such discrimination. On the other side people living in rural places gain least knowledge, and they will experience the time gap as they were not engage in newly found technology, other consequences of this is the racial discrimination.

In this way we can conclude that technology played a important role in life of students, business man/woman, teachers and other sectors. They used technology creatively in the way teachers teach students. In some schools, teachers are using the Internet to keep up with the latest developments in their field of teaching, they can also exchange lesson plans with their colleagues through mailing with the aid of internet access. However, students are able to log on to some useful and knowledgeable sites, more frequently download primary documents for their research paper, explore the universe with an Internet-connected telescope used by professional astronomers. Students can also establish powerful Internet-based learning resources that can be used by other students such as award-winning sites on such chosen topic like endangered species, the biology of sleep, human perception of sound, and exploration of the judicial system.

How it is important to bridge the gap in digital divide. First in foremost, some information and communication technologies are vital to quality civic life. It suggest that the Internet and other ICT’s are somehow transforming society, improving our mutual understanding, eliminating power differentials, and realizing a truly free democratic world, society, and other benefits. Second, most of countries access to telephone system is considered such a vital element that governments implement various policies to offer affordable telephone service. Sad to say some countries lack of sufficient telephone lines. Third, is the literacy although it is not related to any technologies or even in latest and newest technological devices but it is a very widely shared view in many societies that being literate to one’s essential career, that bring self-guided learning, to political participation, and to internet usage. Fourth, rural access the accessibility of rural areas to Internet is the major test of the digital divide. But nowadays there are different ways to eliminate the digital divide in rural areas in the first line is the use of Power Lines (PLT AND PLC), next is the satellite communications who offer new possibilities of universal; access to the Internet, then the lack of telephone lines will not limit access, lastly to lower access prices are required to bridge the digital divide. Lastly, the disabilities is one of the potential Internet users constitute another type of divide and care that should be taken to avoid that persons with disabilities be left out of Internet access.

According to some studies there are a variety of arguments regarding the closing of digital divide. Here are some of the major arguments: (1) Economic Equality; (2) Social Mobility; (3) Democracy; (4) Economic Growth. These four will guide us to bridge the gap of digital divide.

Cons for this digital divide are as follows; For some adults who do not use  the internet, almost half told that the main reason they don’t go online is because they don’t think the internet is relevant to them. In some cases they do not used internet before because it doesn’t help them for their household chores. About one in five says that they do know enough about technology to start using the internet on their own. While on the other hand if there is a cons it also have the pros and that are as follows; technology can produce innovative break thoughts that can be scaled across in the industry sectors. It play a crucial role in the transition to a successful growing of the economy. Also encourages upstream investment in industries like creating new markets; talking existing markets online (e-books, wattpad, and newspapers); transforming an established market (online gaming); and combining existing markets (smartphones for calls, emails, social media and information gathering). Another is the tremendous example how innovate uses of both technologies helping the poor being promoted by the partnership between in some sectors. One of this is utilizing new software, building WIFI for free poor rural communities.

I conclude to bridge the gap of digital divide we must create new innovative solutions that will help the rural areas to access to the internet. We must educate and empower young, the old, the rich and the poor about how important the technology is. We need to build stronger ties to overcome this divide. Because I believe with proper communication is the key to success and harmonious life.