The document discusses the digital divide, which refers to the gap in computer and internet use between different groups. It examines factors that contribute to the digital divide such as income, age, education level, disability status, race/ethnicity, and location. On a global scale, key variables that influence the digital divide are economic development, infrastructure availability, market competition, human capital formation, and political regime. While internet use is growing worldwide, large gaps remain both between developed and developing nations as well as within countries.

1. Y490 Politics of theY490 Politics of the
InternetInternet
September 22, 2010September 22, 2010

2. Digital Divide
 Gap in computer and Internet use across
various social groups
 Who is included and who is excluded and
what are the consequences?
 How stable over time?
 What should be done about it?

3. Major
Documents/Books/Reports
 Falling Through the Net (1998)
 Benjamin Compaine, Bridging the Digital
Divide (2001)
 Pippa Norris, Digital Divide (2001)
 Jan van Dijk, The Deepening Divide
(2005)

4. Barriers to Access: Jan Van DijkBarriers to Access: Jan Van Dijk
and Joseph Hackerand Joseph Hacker
 Lack of elementary digital experienceLack of elementary digital experience
caused by lack of interest, computercaused by lack of interest, computer
anxiety, and unattractiveness of newanxiety, and unattractiveness of new
technology (mental access)technology (mental access)
 Lack of material accessLack of material access
 Lack of digital skills (skills access)Lack of digital skills (skills access)
 Lack of significant usage opportunitiesLack of significant usage opportunities
(usage access)(usage access)

5. Individual-Level Barriers to AccessIndividual-Level Barriers to Access
• Language
• Basic Literacy
• Electronic literacy

6. Demographic Group Internet Use1
Use of Broadband at Home6
Age
�Americans 65 and over 42% 30%
� 50-64 79% 61%
Education Attainment
� high school diploma 69% 52%
� less than a high school diplomas 50% --
Disability
� Americans with disabilities 38% 2,4
--
Household Income
� less than $30,000 annual income 60% --
� $20,000-$30,000 53%
� less than $20,000 annual income 35%
Race/Ethnicity
� Latinos in the US 56%5
--
� Spanish-dominant Latinos in the US 32%5
--
� African Americans 67% 46%
Community Type
� Rural 65% 46%
US Digital Divide Statistics, 2009

7. Global Digital Divide:Global Digital Divide:
Key VariablesKey Variables
• Economic Development (GDP/person)Economic Development (GDP/person)
• Availability of telephones, computersAvailability of telephones, computers
• Competition in telecom marketsCompetition in telecom markets
• Human capital formationHuman capital formation
• Type of regime (authoritarian vs.Type of regime (authoritarian vs.
democratic)democratic)

8. Map of Global Digital Divide

11. Computer Use (per 100
people)
Internet Use (per 100
people)
Developing Countries 2.5 2.6
Least Developed
Countries
0.3 0.2
Arab States 2.1 1.6
East Asia and the
Pacific
3.3 4.1
Latin America and the
Caribbean
5.9 4.9
South Asia 0.8 0.6
Sub-Saharan Africa 1.2 0.8
Central & Eastern
Europe & CIS
5.5 4.3
OECD 36.3 33.2
High-income OECD 43.7 40
Sources: World Development Report, 2006 and 2007.

12. Telephone Lines

13. Mobile Telephones

14. Internet Users

15. Broadband vs. Dial-UpBroadband vs. Dial-Up
• Broadband accentuates the digitalBroadband accentuates the digital
dividedivide
• Average monthly cost $40-45 is tooAverage monthly cost $40-45 is too
high for many poor familieshigh for many poor families
• Higher speeds translate into higherHigher speeds translate into higher
costs generallycosts generally
• Dial-up users limited in ability toDial-up users limited in ability to
create new content (vs. passive usecreate new content (vs. passive use
of existing content)of existing content)

16. Broadband/Dialup Gaps

17. Regional Broadband Speeds

18. BroadbandCensus.com
 The country needs to know where high-
speed Internet service is available and
where it isn't. And that is just the first step.
 Next, consumers need to know the extent of
broadband competition in their local area.
They need to know the names of the
carriers that offer broadband, the speeds
they offer, and the prices they charge.
 BroadbandCensus.com intends to fill this
gap.

19. Broadband Data Improvement Act of
2008 (S. 1492)
 Passed in the 110th
Congress and came into
effect in 2008.
 Requires the FCC to compile a list of
geographical areas that are not served by
any provider of advanced
telecommunications services.
 Mandates use of Census data to
characterize each area by population,
population density, and per capita income.
 Requires FCC to publish international
comparisons.

20. Questions for Discussion
 Does the digital divide matter?
 What are the main causes of the global digital
divide?
 Do higher levels of Internet diffusion reduce the
digital divide, either within or between
countries?
 Are there new digital divides opening up within
developed countries?
 Is the digital divide ever likely to narrow
significantly?