Is the digital divide actually widening?

The reins on technology has been cut loose; the constant introduction of 'lastest' technology only serves to widen the digital gap we see in the modern times. As we race towards an even more technologically advanced future, it is inevitable that certain groups or communities would be left behind to trod along the trails of our blazing pursuit. However, this should not serve as a means to judge on the correctness of society or whether or not technology does good or bad to mankind. This should purely be an observation that may at most, warrant an improvement in the diffusion of technology from areas of a 'high-tech' status to those we see as 'backward'.

Since the time of the Industrial Revolution, there has been an immeasurable change in the field of science and technology, culminating in a supposedly unfair distribution of 'high-tech' goods and services all over the world. As we carry on in our quest for more illusive forms of technology (nanotechnology, bioinformatics, nuclear technology, etc. just to name a few) we must constantly remind ourselves that the faster we run towards our goals, the faster people at the back of the group fall off, and more people would end up left behind.

The digital divide is just a small part of the entire technological rift that is constantly widening, with a stronger focus on computerized technology. It is evident that developed nations are very much interconnected with the introduction of the Internet in recent times, and that less developed nations, like those in the African states or Latin America, are facing a problem in getting hooked onto this virtual network.

Primarily, the reason cited for such problems usually include a lack of infrastructure, which also is brought about by a lack of government fundings to built up a decent network size of computers. The next issue we should also focus our attention on is the lack of proper formal education in these regions. The Internet is built upon a community of people who speak mostly English (not forgetting that other languages like French, Spanish, Chinese, etc. do have their own websites), and that people in the lesser developed regions may face problems in understanding these languages if there is a lack of formal education. This again, can be credited to the lack of funding in education. In short, as long as these nations do not make an effort to catch up with those who are working hard to hasten their speed, the divide will only widen in the future.

Let us now look at some information of broadband prices in the world. We shall compare the price per mega bit boardband speed, since it gives us a rough gauge on how digitally advanced a country is by being able to connect to the digital world. South Korea scores highest, with a cost of only USD$0.34. Other countries in the top rankings include Sweden, Japan, France, Italy. Countries like Pakistan, however, do not fare that well, with a cost of $80.43, and Myanmar's score of USD$261.75 serves as more proof of the digital divide. Last of all, Indonesia's score of $2,453.87 only serves to show the extent of the rift in the digital divide - 7217% times that cost.

Following the 'the rich gets richer' principal, the same applies for the digital divide. Those who have access to better technology are always in a better position to more advanced inventions and innovations, and this is why the gap will only widen further.

Fortunately, progress has been made in an attempt to help the lesser developed nations catch up in the digital divide. Second-hand or used computers have been collected in many parts of the world by various charity organizations to be distributed to nations that require them for educational purposes. This would aid in the diffusion of technology to such countries to educate it's people, and hopefully to encourage the governments in providing more funding for research and development, so that these nations, even if left behind before, can start to progress and move forward.

As we start to work towards more advanced technology, the cost of technology would be lower, and this would eventually trickle back down to those who cannot afford current costs of technology. As such, we should not try to impede the development of the digital world in the name of helping the poor, but rather, find alternative sources to help these people.

In summary, the digital divide is one that we can hardly aviod due to financial constraints and due to many other circumstances. However, this does not mean that those in front need to stop to wait. Also, this does not mean we cannot put in effort to help those in need. I believe that with a common goal in mind, and by constantly looking back to see how we can help those who are left behind, even with a digital divide, mankind can make significant progress in the technological fields of tomorrow.

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Special thanks to "http://www.muniwireless.com/article/articleview/619 5/1/2" for it's publication on broadband prices per megabit around the world.
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(This is an exact copy of an article I wrote in October for another website.)