2. What is the Global Digital Divide?
The global digital divide is a term used to
describe “great disparities in opportunity to
access the Internet and the information and
educational/business opportunities tied to this
access … between developed and developing
countries”.
Unlike the traditional notion of the "digital
divide" between social classes, the "global
digital divide" is essentially a geographical
division.
6. In 2000:
“More than 80% of
people in the world
have never even heard
of dial tone, let alone
surfed the web.”
7. Today:
“There is an estimated
2 billion internet users
worldwide, access to broadband
internet is growing across the
developing world…
…The price of fixed broadband
has fallen more than 50% in the
past 2 years…”
8. The divide is lessening, but what
can we do to improve the situation
further?
Promote computer recycling programs: computers that
are unwanted in the western world can be sent to
developing nations
Global governments can provide more funds for the
digital divide
Technology companies can promote programs in
developing countries to help them learn to use
computers
Editor's Notes
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\nWith an estimated 2bn internet users worldwide, access to broadband internet is growing across the developing world. The price of fixed broadband has fallen more than 50 per cent in the past two years whilst the growth of wireless internet devices such as 3G mobile phones, make wireless broadband the fastest growing sector in communications technology, according to the International Telecommunication Union.\n\nIndia: The country has seen a boom in mobile telephone usage, with subscriptions doubling from 300m to 600m in just two years, and its software services industry is thriving.\nBut in a country where some 42 per cent of its population still live below the extreme poverty line of $1.25 a day, the government has strides to make in bridging the digital divide\n
