POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

1. RAISING AWARENESS
ON THE
RAMIFICATIONS OF
DIGITAL DIVIDE
AND HOW I CAN ASSIST TO THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE
THE ISSUES AROUND ACCESS

2. ISSUES SURROUNDING ACCESS
DIGITAL DIVIDE-A SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIVIDE
A DIVIDE IN INFRASTRUCTURE
A DIVIDE IN CONTENT
A GENDER DIVIDE
A SKILLS DIVIDE
THE UNIVERSAL ACCESS DIVIDE

3. DIGITAL DIVIDE-A SOCIO-
ECONOMIC DIVIDE
• The lack of access is known as ‘digital divide’, or can be sometimes referred to
‘those that have and those that do not have’.
• Socio-economic factors impact digital divide in South Africa as it is a developing
country, e.g.
1,one’s income and occupation
2,Place of residence.
3,culture/ethnicity
4,and/or religion.
• The divide is linked with socio-economic factors, although with the difference
between developing and developed countries, the digital divide is also linked
with the geo-demographic factors. This is much likely to the varying widely of
internet usage in different countries in different parts of the world.

4. A DIVIDE IN INFRASTRUCTURE
• Along the theme of developed v.s developing countries lies the issue of
infrastructure.
• Developed countries have a far greater penetration of appropriate, advanced
and up-to-date infrastructure as opposed to those that are developing.
• It is the infrastructure of developing countries that often exceeds the broad
range of access.
 Infrastructure and the rural-urban divide in high-speed residential internet
access
• As residential Internet access in the United States shifts toward high-speed
connections, a gap has emerged in rural high-speed access relative to urban
high-speed access. Potential causes of this high-speed ``digital divide'' include
rural—urban differences in people, place, and infrastructure.
• Due to infrastructure restrictions, coupled with socio-economic factors, people
in townships and rural areas utilize their mobile phones so as to access the
internet.

5. A DIVIDE IN CONTENT
• According to Dutton (2004), nearly 70% of websites are in English. Although
this has changed substantially, the fact of the matter remains that English
dominates the web. English is our universal language.

6. A GENDER DIVIDE
• To begin with, we must say that digital gender gap is a reflection of the gender
inequalities that exist in reality throughout societies and economies. It is widely
known that women are exposed to discrimination around the world in fields
such as employment, income, health, and education, which partly reflects
cultural biases and household decisions about relative reward/return on effort.
• Yet, more importantly, we must see why males and females behave differently in
relation to the question of ICT use, causing this gap. In simple terms, the issue is
related to three major points:
1. Confidence and computer self-efficacy
2. Level of “computer anxiety”
3. Gender preferences on how to use computers and the Internet.

7. A SKILLS DIVIDE

8. A UNIVERSAL ACCESS DIVIDE
• As the use of computers and the Internet increases, so does the necessity for
access. In the public sector, policy makers and community members must
recognize the importance of such resources and take measures to ensure access
for all. While increased competition among PC manufacturers and Internet
Service Providers has substantially reduced the costs associated with owning a
computer and maintaining a home connection, for many households the costs
remain prohibitive. Like basic phone service, the government should subsidize
Internet access for low-income households. At the same time, the private sector
must commit to providing equal service and networks to rural and underserved
communities so that all individuals can participate.

9. HOW I CAN ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE
THE ISSUES AROUND ACCESS• 1.
CREATE NON-PROFIT
ORGANISATIONS TO
HELP THOSE THAT ARE
COMPUTER ILLITERATE.
RAISE
AWARENESS
FUNDS TO BUILD
MORE IT LABS
FOR THE
LOCATION.
GET IN TOUCH
WITH A GLOBAL
SEARCH ENGINE
COMPANY, e.g.
Google
LOOK AT THE
POSSIBILITY OF
EXPANDING
BANDWIDTH TO
RURAL AREAS.