BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE A Basic Understanding

What is the “Digital Divide”? It is the gap that exists between populations in terms of certain phases: 1. Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) 2. Literacy skills and ability to use ICTs effectively 3. The availability and accessibility of high quality, relevant content - and the opportunity to produce it

Global Statistics In 2004, less than 3 out of every 100 Africans use the Internet, compared with an average of 1 out of every 2 inhabitants of the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US). The G8 countries are home to just 15% of the world’s population - but almost 50% of the world’s total Internet users. The 14% of the world’s population that lives in the G8 countries accounts for 34% of the world’s total mobile users. It is estimated that top 20 countries in terms of Internet bandwidth are home to roughly 80% of all Internet users worldwide.

Asia-Pacific Stats Asia-Pacific’s 41 economies span 30% of the world’s land mass, encompass 3’500 languages, and are home to 57% of the world’s population (or 3.6 billion people). Internet penetration ranges from below 1% in countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia and Lao, to above 65% in countries like Australia and the Republic of Korea. Mobile penetration ranges from below 1% in countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Papua New Guinea to 90% or more in countries like Hong Kong (China) and Singapore. China remains the region’s powerhouse. During 2004, the country added an average 5.4 million new mobile subscribers every month.

Asia-Pacific Stats China already represents almost 50% of the entire Asian mobile market in terms of subscriber numbers, yet domestic penetration still hovers at around just 25%. That translates into another one billion more potential mobile customers. India has overtaken China to become one of the region’s fastest-growing mobile markets, with growth rates of over 90% per annum every year since With just total mobile penetration rates of just over 4%, potential for growth is enormous. The Republic of Korea leads the world in broadband penetration, with high- speed lines serving more than a quarter of the population.

Bridging the gap! “We Media” Concept Social inclusion means digital inclusion Technology should combat social exclusion, not reinforce it.

Social & Economic Realities… Participation in the global knowledge-based economy requires the ability to access and manage information Underserved marginalized communities have the most to gain, the most to lose Technology literacy, like literacy itself, is an essential prerequisite to social inclusion

A world online…

, search, maps News Access to online job listings, applications Educational use, online learning Online transactions (travel, e-bay, banking, etc…) E-government services (taxes, licenses, etc…) Health Information Civic engagement & E-democracy User generated content – blogs, websites, music and file sharing, etc

3 Phases of the Digital Divide 1. Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) Bringing in the proper infrastructure to facilitate technological growth in terms of hardware and software is essential. What is also important is being able to deliver technologies at low cost for greater distribution. Simply put…are we providing the right tools?

3 Phases of the Digital Divide 2. Literacy skills and ability to use ICTs effectively Proper IT knowledge is essential in effectively maximizing IT systems to benefit different communities. Problems of IT literacy is even common in economies where technology may be cheap.

3 Phases of the Digital Divide 3. The availability and accessibility of high quality, relevant content - and the opportunity to produce it The problem now is not so much of infrastructure and literacy but rather quality. The result is that even where the poor are provided access to digital technology, it is low-quality and merely “localized” versions of products and/or services intended for the rich

Sources : Definition of Digital Divide AKA the ABC’s: Access, Basic Skills, Content