1. Lecture 11 Digital Divide
JICES special issue
Vol 1 Issue 2
April 2003
E&IT speical issue
Vol 5 No
IT and Ethics
Lecture 11
Digital Divide
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

2. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Rafael Capurro (et al.) (2004) Opinions on the
technologically-dependent society
Introduction
One of the most handled issues in the late IT ethics discussion
With-in societies
With-in handled to a large degree in Access to Information
Access for all—at least in schools, in libraries, etc. lessening the divide with-in society?
Gender, race, disability, age and social status/wealth– all relevant factors
In-between societies
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

3. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Jean Camp (2003) Editorial Bridging the Digital Divide
Weckert and Al-Saggaf (2003) Online Cultural Imperialism:
Is it an Ethical Issue?
In-between societies
Over 3 billion (miljardia) people live on US$ 2 or less per day
We cannot expect these people to have wide access to the ‘Net
Access to Internet (in 2002) for 1 billion people
And of course only access to the ‘Net will not solve the digital divide issue
Access to other SW and DDM even more difficult to guarantee
Online Cultural Imperialism?
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

4. Changes in societies brought by IT
Shifra Baruchson (et al.) (2004) Opinions on the technologically-dependent society
Yeslam Al-Sagaff and Mohammed M. Begg (2004) Online
Communities versus Offline Communities in the Arab/Muslim World
Changes in societies brought by IT
In our societies, at least seem to be from with-in
But again, male engineer value dominance
Embedded (and thus changing of) values
Impeded values
Our society has undoubtedly changed
Other societies?
Enables information search more freely for anyone, irrespective of society, with access to Internet—lessening the divide?
Enables new forms of discussion e.g. in Arab countries males and females can discuss things previously impossible through ICT
Outside influence, most material from USA or other Western countries
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

5. Globalization/Localization issues
Stanislaw Szejko (et al.) (2004) Opinions on the technologically-dependent society
Pouloudi, Ziouvelou and Vassilopoulou (2003) A Societal Perspective on E-business Adoption
Globalization/Localization issues
Does one version (with minor variations) answer the needs of all?
The values inserted in the technology through design affect all
Some interest is paid for cultural differences (certain numbers in Asia, thick black borders in where it means mortuary) but is that enough?
Should information systems be built from the needs of the people?
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

6. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Kiyoshi Murata (et al.) (2004) Opinions on the technologically-dependent society
Fairweather and Rogerson (2003) The Problems of Global Cultural
Homogenisation in a Technologically Dependant World
Democratic values
Is IT and/or the Internet democratic?
Do people all around want it to be/promote that?
Global cultural homogenization
Think about the situation in Iraq, as pointed out by Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila whether the Iraqi people even want democracy, maybe they rather want tolerant islam?
Global “information ethics”—even possible?
Many-to-many discussions in the net, Habermas –type ‘critical’ discussion? Hardly.
Blogs enable just this kind of open ended critical discussion
Look for example the blog discussions on the Mohammed pictures
Both in-between the Westerners but also by muslims
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

7. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Equality?
Digital divide can widen the gap between have’s and have-not’s
Access to information much more readily available in the west and for the rich or politically powerful in other societies than elsewhere
Access to what information?
Educational information: Basic/advanced level education
Vital information for the locals: Farming enhancements, health care
IPRd information: Job skills
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Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

8. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Adekunle Okunoye (2002/2003)
Example:
Research done in West Africa, published in The Lancet after five years of research; what good does that do to the locals? Do they have access to The Lancet in printed or in digital form? Even if they did, would it help the people?
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

9. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Jean Camp (2003) Editorial Bridging the Digital Divide
Solving The Divide
Low cost clusters of PCs in developing country Internet centers
GNU/Linux and other F/OSS applications able to be both used and studied for free or at reasonable prices
With tools such as Green Stone by Ian Whitten
…with content, of course
Wireless communications from the grass-roots level (Public Private Partnersips)
Opening IPRs to the poor?
Enabling local ICT innovations
Greenstone
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Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems

10. Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems
Demonstration case
How to ensure access to information for the people of the improving countries?
To what information?
Why?
What are the benefits of this?
Do you see some draw-backs?
5/4/2019
Kai Kimppa, IT Department, Information Systems