Impact of the Digital Divide: Economic, Social, and Educational Consequences
Internet connectivity is vital to economic growth. Around the world, millions of people rely on digital devices every day to complete their jobs, study for exams, and communicate with loved ones. Digital technologies can open a world of opportunities, but not everyone has equal access to the internet—or any access at all.
The digital divide, or the split between those with and without reliable internet connectivity and related technologies, has profound implications on society. Lack of internet access affects the economy, social opportunities, and educational equity, and many other areas. The impact of the digital divide can be severe, but some solutions exist that can help bridge the gap.
Understanding the Digital Divide
The digital divide refers to the gap between those with and without access to information communication technology (ICT). According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), approximately 45.2 percent of the world’s households do not have access to the internet.
The digital divide is most apparent among other intersections of inequality, especially race, gender, and class. According to UNESCO’s report, women around the world are 23 percent less likely to make use of mobile internet than their male counterparts. In Asia, Africa, and South America, women are 30–50 percent less likely to use the internet at all.
Many unconnected households live in rural or remote areas without adequate broadband infrastructure. Many people lack the funds to pay for digital devices or internet services. According to the US Department of Education, students from low-income households are more likely to lack internet access due to issues of affordability. Additionally, internet service providers are less likely to invest in fiber broadband infrastructure in lower-income or rural areas, a practice known as digital redlining.
The digital divide also has a severe impact on many daily activities. Those without reliable ICT access miss out on valuable job opportunities and cannot participate in the global digital economy. Students can face significant barriers while completing schoolwork or participating in remote learning programs. Additionally, lack of internet access and poor digital literacy can have a major impact on society, contributing to deeper stratification, inequality, and misinformation.
The Impact of the Digital Divide on Society
The digital divide has deepened social stratification, leading to further segregation and widening disparities. It is thus important for organizations, governments, and other institutions to invest in digital literacy initiatives to close these gaps and improve outcomes for all individuals.
Loss of Social Opportunities
ICT services play an important role in modern social interactions due to the rise of various platforms that enhance personal, professional and business opportunities. Social media websites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter facilitate communication and connectivity between friends, family members, and complete strangers. Over time, this technology has become more and more important for social interactions.
Additionally, digital technologies provide users with an opportunity to express their beliefs and share information. Many digitally enabled users rely on social media websites to learn about current events, engage in civic discourse, and receive important updates from their communities. While harmful misinformation is present on these platforms, many users rely on online content to learn and communicate, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without access to digital technologies, people can miss out on these social opportunities and feel isolated. They are unable to communicate with loved ones in the same way as digitally enabled individuals. These disparities may increase tensions among connected and disconnected populations in areas where digital access varies from community to community.
Deepening Stratification
The digital divide is apparent along economic classes. People with lower incomes do not have the resources to purchase digital devices or pay for monthly internet services. Users living in rural, remote areas or less developed countries may not have access to the broadband infrastructure necessary to access the internet. As more and more people gain connectivity, divisions will continue to deepen between those who have internet access and those who do not.
Additionally, internet connectivity enables users to access valuable social, educational, and economic opportunities. Those who are unable to connect to the internet lose out on these opportunities, accentuating social differences, contributing to segregation and perpetuating economic inequalities. This stratification can cause tension among class lines, especially in communities where wealthier individuals have digital access while poorer members do not.
Barriers to Digital Literacy
Digital literacy refers to a person’s ability to use ICTs to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information. To be digitally literate, a user must know how to control the physical components of a computing device. They must also know how to open various programs, such as web browsers, word processors, and messaging applications. A competent digital user will also need to know how to communicate in digital spaces, identify credible information, and avoid scams, misinformation, and other malicious schemes.
However, users who lack access to ICTs do not have the opportunity to develop digital literacy skills, which further exacerbates the digital divide. It can become more difficult to develop these skills as technology advances and becomes more complex. As a result, adults who are not digitally literate are often far less likely to fully engage with digital tools.
Recent technological advancement has been exponential; one new development often spawns multiple innovations. With the growth of 5G and the advanced applications that it unlocks, users who are not already familiar with digital technologies may fall further and further behind. An expansion of digital literacy education is necessary to bridge this gap, especially for older adults and other individuals who are affected by the digital divide.
The Educational Impact of the Digital Divide
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 1.3 billion children between the ages of three and seventeen do not have access to the internet at home. Lack of digital access can have profound impacts on school-age children, preventing them from accessing the same opportunities and educational outcomes as their connected peers.
Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the disparities present in the digital divide became extremely apparent as schools moved online. Students without reliable internet access did not have the necessary resources to connect to remote learning platforms. This made it difficult for some students to fully participate in their learning environments.
In the United States, for example, nearly 55 percent of disconnected students came from Black, Hispanic, and Native American households, despite making up only 40 percent of the general student population. Additionally, 50 percent of disconnected students came from families with an annual income of less than $50,000 per year.
The digital divide had the most impact on children from rural areas in the southern United States, affecting 40–50 percent of students in Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. Approximately 25 percent of disconnected students did not have reliable broadband access, and 60 percent of disconnected students could not afford internet services or digital devices at all.
Access to Educational Resources
Reliance on digital technologies in education is becoming increasingly more common. Many students need to use an internet-enabled device to complete homework and research projects or attend remote classes. Colleges and universities often require students to submit applications online, and students often need to use the computer to research scholarships, prepare for standardized tests, and complete other educational tasks.
However, some students lack access to the devices and infrastructure necessary to interact with digital educational resources. As a result, they can struggle to complete homework and fall farther behind in school than their digitally enabled counterparts.
Schools and governments can take action to improve educational outcomes for disconnected students. Aside from prioritizing broader digital access overall, investing in digital technologies for students can have positive impacts. In fact, one study of a Texas school district found that an increase in school district internet access spending improved graduation rates by 4.7 percent.
Digital literacy is another important factor affecting the educational digital divide. A student cannot adequately complete internet-based tasks without knowing how to use a device and navigate a web browser. Schools may be able to alleviate literacy issues by teaching students how to use digital devices from an early age. By implementing computer classes and increasing ICT access at school, students can leverage and develop digital skills even if they experience barriers to access at home.
The Economic Impact of the Digital Divide
The digital divide can seriously impact economic opportunities for disconnected individuals and geographies. Individuals who do not have digital skills may be unable to obtain higher-paying jobs. Additionally, countries without stable broadband access can face challenges to economic development. By investing in widespread infrastructure and digital access, however, the digital divide can begin to narrow and economic opportunities may increase.
Access to Job Opportunities
As of 2021, people were in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This stage describes the ongoing automation and implementation of advanced technology in manufacturing and other industrial practices. As a result, more and more jobs require employees to hold digital skills. The digital divide can make it more difficult for disconnected users to obtain employment.
This gap is apparent for middle-skill jobs, or jobs that require some training beyond high school but do not require a bachelor’s degree. Research shows that over 80 percent of middle-skill jobs require a certain level of digital proficiency. Middle-skill and more advanced jobs often pay higher wages than low-skill positions.
As a result, individuals who do not have digital skills lose access to valuable job opportunities. Additionally, disconnected people are unable to participate fully in the global digital economy and cannot participate in remote or web-based jobs.
These factors can perpetuate the cycle of economic inequality and lead to lower earnings over time. However, digital skills training courses and internal upskilling within organizations can help improve economic outcomes and alleviate these disparities.
Barriers to Economic Development
ICTs have the potential to promote economic growth and social development. In fact, a 2020 study examining digital technology in thirty-nine African countries found a positive correlation between gross domestic product (GDP) and digital adoption. Specifically, social media usage and the importance of ICTs to the government’s vision are significant for economic growth.
Research from the International Telecommunications Union shows that an increase in digitization can have the following impacts on various regions.
- In Africa, an increase of 10 percent in mobile broadband penetration can increase GDP by 2.5 percent per capita.
- In the Arab states, a 10 percent increase in digitization can result in a 2.49 percent growth in GDP by capita.
- In North and South America, an increase of 10 percent in fixed broadband penetration can result in a 1.9 percent growth in GDP per capita.
- A 10 percent increase in digitization in Europe may result in a 1.4 percent growth in GDP per capita.
- In the Asia-Pacific region, a 10 percent increase in fixed broadband penetration may result in a 0.8 percent growth in GDP per capita.
Investments in digital services and a digitally literate population have had positive impacts in many countries, such as South Korea. However, not all countries have had equal access to these technologies, resulting in barriers to economic development.
How to Bridge the Digital Divide
The digital divide continues to have a profound impact on our society, and barriers will likely deepen in the future. Governments, organizations, and institutions around the world will need to develop solutions to bridge these inequalities and encourage greater access to digital technology.
IEEE is searching for ways to alleviate the impact of the digital divide. The IEEE Connecting the Unconnected Challenge solicits solutions from start-ups, nonprofits, universities, and others to bridge the digital divide in innovative ways. To learn more about the challenge and submit a proposal, visit this website.
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