Christopher M. Pascucci

 The term “Digital Divide” refers to the gap between those who benefit from digital technologies and those who do not.  It took digital-divide researchers a decade to figure out that the real issue is not so much about access to digital technology but about the benefits derived from it.  The Digital Divide first loomed as a public-policy issue in 1996 in the debates surrounding the passage of the US Telecommunications Act.

 Closing the Digital Divide is a necessity for reducing poverty.  Using new technology to provide clean drinking water to poor people and villages.  Improving health care services for the poor.  Provide more opportunities  Career Development – increasing number of jobs requiring computer skills.  Democracy – access to government services, discussions on policies or politics through blogs and forums.

 A precondition for resolving terrorism.  Most strategies for reducing the appeal of terrorism focus on ending the isolation of those who are currently good candidates for being recruited into terrorist organizations.  Terrorists are sheltered by villagers in these areas partly because the villages themselves have little stake in the stability of the government and international economy.  Difficult to improve education and military solutions without broadband telecommunication networks.

 A requirement for achieving sustainable world markets.  As broadband networks spread to developing countries, costs throughout the supply chain will drop.  The only place new customers exist in the ICTs market (info. & comm. tech.) is among the low-income.  The only way to reach these customers affordably and profitably is through ICT.  [ICT markets – cell phones, computers, software, etc…]

 Barriers  Physical Resources  Access to a computer and internet access  Digital Resources  Appropriate content  Human Resources  Literacy and training  Social Resources  Community Support

 OLPC (One laptop per child)  Delaware based, US non profit created by faculty from the MIT Media Lab  Design, Manufacture, Distribute a low end – low cost laptop  Sold to governments and distributed thru schools  7 countries have made commitments to purchase the machines (Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Thailand and Uruguay.[)[  Intended to be distributed to children around the world, especially to those in developing countries, to provide them with access to knowledge and modern forms of government  Distributing free or donated software and computers  Training and education