Digital Divide/Digital Inequality - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages On the other hand, the gap between haves and have-nots has increased due to the impact of this technology to those who have access to it as compared to ones who cannot access nor use the digital technology. This paper discusses this gap and illustrates how the technology has affected the field of education today. Today, despite the effort of many nations to increase the access to internet that can reduce the digital divide gap, many people still object technology due to their educational backgrounds. Research done by several departments in the Leicester University has showed that older people above 65 years normally work manually and have no access to internet and to make the case worse, some do not know of its existence. This gap is in between the educated and non-educated people in the society. The old people who happen to know the existence of internet have stereotypes, which prevent them from even using it if given the chance. The believed disadvantages of internet as perceived by the uneducated makes the gap increase due to fear by these old and uneducated people (St, Amant and Bolanle 56). Education and age are the highest issues with access to digital technology. Young people who stayed in education for more than ten years have increased acceptability of internet access from their homes as compared to the older people who have not accessed education and do not even have the interest to use internet in their home. The facts that these older people have stereotypes of which most of these are false and prevent them from accessing the internet are not likely to purchase online. On the other hand, the educated and young people who have a high interest in use of technology are likely to purchase goods and services online (Douglas). Banking, job seeking and purchase of items online is on the increase among the educated people. Although there are some demerits connected to some of these practices, they are dependable and can help reduce cost and unwanted expenses. Many of these young people had used internet in their studies for many purposes and find it easy to use it in daily businesses. Due to their familiarity and convenience in the use of internet, they are eager to use the same technology in an advanced way and hence the increased gap of technology in the society (Servon 29). Trends that are evident today is that, the young educated and have high occupations have utilized the advantages of the internet faster than anyone else in the society has. With the increase in the digital divide, there is a threat that equalizing the opportunities for everyone in the society now calls for more than just providing the relative technologies to the less fortunate and low in the society. The social aspects seem to be taking over the increase in the digital divide in the society and needs consideration for the gap to reduce and technology to benefit all in the society. With mobile devices being the most preferred methods people like to access the internet as many spend most of their time online using their phones when compared to other ways to access the internet. Although people have expressed their interest in use of mobile devices, personal computers have also increased in the use to access internet. This reveals that many people have multiple devices in which they access the internet with and advertisers target almost all these device users in the society (Douglas). The increase in education levels widen the digital divide, for instance, families with high levels of education are more ...Download file to see next pagesRead More