The digital divide refers to differences in access to technology between groups. It can be caused by urban vs rural locations, wealth, and a country's level of development. Improving infrastructure and technology sharing initiatives could help reduce the divide by improving access.

1. CHAPTER 5
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL IT
Anjan Mahanta
anjan.mahanta@satreephuketipc.com

2. Learning Objectives
● What is meant by the digital divide
● What causes the digital divide,
including differences in technology
and areas of society
● What can be done to reduce the digital
divide
2

3. What is the digital
divide?
3

4. What is the digital divide?
● The term digital divide was first popularised in the
1990s.
● It describes the technology divide (or gap) between
countries,demographic groups and economic areas. Itis
a technical, social and economic issue, which covers the
difference in availability and use of modern technology.
● The divide that people experience can depend on many
aspects, such as age, status and location.
4

5. What is the digital divide?
Many people believe that the digital divide refers merely to
internet access,but it can refer to access to several forms of
modern technology, including telephones,television,
personal computers (PCs) and the internet.
5

6. What is the digital divide?
● All countries experience a digital divide at one level
or another. At a national level, the digital divide
describes the difference between those in the
population who have regular access to modern
technology, and those who have the necessary
skills to make good use of the technology.
● At an international level, the digital divide
describes the difference between developed and
developing countries.
6

7. What can cause a digital divide?
City Versus Rural Areas
7
● Access to high-speed internet services
can differ greatly between city and
rural areas. The availability of
broadband services is expanding in
most countries, but not at the same
rate for those who live in rural areas,
compared to those who live in cities.
● People who live in cities have much
greater access to high speed
broadband. This mainly occurs for two
reasons:

8. What can cause a digital divide?
City Versus Rural Areas
8
● The infrastructure needed is mostly in place and just
needs to be improved or expanded in order to provide
high-speed broadband services. Therefore, the cost
implications are not as great,as the current
infrastructure can be used.
● The concentration of people, and therefore potential
customers,in a city is far greater. Therefore,there is a
greater chance of quickly recuperating the costs of
building the infrastructure needed for the
high-speed access.

9. What can cause a digital divide?
City Versus Rural Areas
9
● People who live in rural areas have less access to
high-speed broadband. This is mainly because the
infrastructure is not in place to provide the high-speed
access, therefore the cost of building the required
infrastructure would be very expensive.
● As the concentration of people living in a rural area is
much less than in a city, the amount of potential
customers is far fewer. This means that it would take a lot
longer,if ever, to recuperate the costs of building the
infrastructure.

10. What can cause a digital divide?
City Versus Rural Areas
10
● For this reason, many broadband companies do not look to
provide high-speed access to people in the countryside.
● This means that the experience of using the internet, in terms
of speed, differs greatly between a user in a city and a user in a
rural area. Because of this people living in rural areas may find
that they are not able to use internet services such as film and
television streaming because they cannot get an internet
connection that will support it.
● Even if they are able to get a connection that will support
streaming, they may be limited to standard, rather than high
definition,quality, as this would be the only capability of the
connection.

11. More Versus Less Industrially Developed Areas
11
● The parts of the world that have greater access to
modern technology are the USA, Europe and
northern Asia. These areas mostly consist of
developed countries.
● Areas where access is more restricted are in some
parts of Africa, India and south Asia. These are areas
that consist of countries that are less industrially
developed.
● This can have an impact on both the education and
the skill level of people in those countries and
prevent them from competing on an international
level.

12. More Versus Less Industrially Developed Areas
12

13. Socio-Economic Groups
13
● The rich/poor digital divide can also occur in more developed countries. Richer
people are able to afford access to high-speed internet connections and expensive
advances in technology.
● The poorer members of society may not be able to afford access to these services
and levels of technology. This can have an impact on their level of education and
ecommerce, essentially creating a greater divide.
● A great number of companies are moving their business to the internet and new
businesses are being developed that operate using only the internet.

14. HIGH VERSUS LOW PERFORMING TECHNOLOGIES
14
● A digital divide can also occur between people who have higher and lower
performing technologies. Those who are able to afford mobile devices with high
performance capabilities may be able to enjoy a better experience than those who
have lower performing technologies.
● They may be able to watch movies and stream music without interference and at a
much higher quality than those with technologies that do not have the processing
power to handle the high level of bandwidth needed for this.

15. DISCUSSION
15

16. DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THAILAND
16

17. DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THAILAND
17

18. EXAMPLE
18
https://slideplayer.com/slide/778808

19. EXAMPLE
19

20. EXAMPLE
20

21. EXAMPLE
21

22. EXAMPLE
22

23. EXAMPLE
23

24. THE FUTURE
24
● The digital divide tends to increase when new technologies become available. Younger
generations tend to embrace technology more quickly than older generations. As new
technology is usually initially expensive, it is taken up more quickly by those who have wealth
rather than those who do not.
● For example, in 2013, 3.7 million smart watches were sold. By 2014,sales had risen to 6.8
million. Virtually all these sales were in developed countries.
● In 2015, Apple made its smart watch available to customers in just nine countries:
Australia,Canada, China, France, Germany, Flong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom and the
United States.
● The populations of developing nations tend to get left behind when new technologies emerge,
although the divide lessens as these technologies become more widespread and less costly.

25. THE FUTURE
25
● Access to technology, or often a lack of it,is one of the biggest contributors to the digital divide.
Having a digital device that is connected to the internet allows access to educational resources,
ecommerce, online banking and entertainment, amongst other things. Many people who do
have access are being encouraged to allow their older technologies to be refurbished and given
to those who currently have no access.
● For those who do not understand how to use the technologies available, there are courses
being run in many areas to help people learn the skills needed. There are also many countries
that are funding community teaching programs, especially for those in poorer areas.
● The digital divide will exist in many different ways for a long time yet but each initiative that is
put into place will help to close that divide a piece at a time. There is hope that this will
eliminate a culture of digital divide and create a culture of digital inclusion.

26. TASK
26

27. QUESTIONS
27

28. ANSWERS
28
1. Describe the term digital divide. [3]
The technology divide between countries, demographic groups and areas.
It concerns the availability of modern technology.
It can include the divide cause by age, status and location.

29. ANSWERS
29
2. Discuss the impact of the digital divide on countries that are less developed. [8]
1. Can prevent access to further education such as online courses and training.
2. Can affect entertainment experiences if connections are too slow.
3. Can prevent effective communication.
4. Can prevent the ability to be competitive in trading and ecommerce.
5. Can prevent the students to receive their education at the International Standard.
6. Can prevent the people to have the employment skills.
7. Can prevent the people to stay updated with the global news and stories.
8. Can prevent the people to globally competitive.

30. ANSWERS
30
3. Describe two strategies that could be put in place to reduce the digital divide. [4]
Improving the infrastructure that is currently in place. This will provide better access for more
people and improve the level of aspects, such as using technology for entertainment.
Getting the technologies of those upgrading recycled for use by those who do not have access. This
will improve the access to online services such as education and training.
Setting up cyber cafes in both urban and more remote areas. This can provide some access to those
who cannot afford regular access to the benefits of technology, such as online learning.
Setting up community tech programs. This can help those who do not know how to use the
technology gain an understanding in a friendly environment.

31. CHECK LIST
31
You should be able to:
• understand that the digital divide refers to the gap between people and regions that have access to
aspects of modern technology (including: telephone, television, personal computers and the internet),
and those that do not or those that have restricted access.
• understand that the digital divide can exist between:
– people in cities and people in rural areas
– the educated and the uneducated
– socioeconomic groups
– more and less industrially developed nations
– high and low performance computers, wireless connections