Is the digital divide an issue that society should be concerned about? I believe it is. If the gap in the divide is bridged, many issues in society could improve. The world becomes more
technologically advanced by the day. Many jobs require online applications. Most jobs require some type of computer skills. It is very hard to advance in life without learning computer skills. With job training and computer knowledge, many people in the lower classes of society would be afforded opportunities that they would not normally be. Those who would normally turn to crime to provide for their families might not see that option as a necessary avenue to go down.

Tavis Smiley Special

DIGITAL DIVIDE
The "Digital Divide" was a term originally coined in reference to the disparity in computer ownership between groups, due to socioeconomic, racial and or geographic differences.
The definition has since broadened to include not only access to computer hardware, but access to regular and affordable broadband, as well as the skills and resources required to use digital and information technology.
This divide continues to widen, as noted in a study1 which examined data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. African American, Latino and Native American households lag behind their Asian and white, non-Latino counterparts when it comes to access to home computers. The findings indicate that 49% of Latinos, 51% of African Americans and 52% of Native Americans have a computer in the home (compared to 75% of white, non-Latinos and 78% of Asians).
The study also reveals that African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are less likely than other groups to have the capability of connecting to the Internet from a home computer.


My Experience

Growing up I kind of had the best of both worlds. I got to experience different types of lifestyles. It helped me appreciate where my parents came from and where they brought us to. My parents grew up very poor. They decided that they were going to do what they had to do to make a better life for my sister and I. So we were raised in a typical middle class lifestyle. At the same time my grandparents babysat for my parents when we were younger so we went to the same elementary school that use to be my grandmother's segregated high school. As a result, most of my friends did not have a the same lifestyle as my sister and I did. My parents bought us our first computer in the 80s, most of my friends still did not have home computers when we reached high school. Some still do not to this day.

I believe that many less fortunate people do not buy home computers not only for financial reasons but also because they can gain access to computer through the public libraries and community colleges for free. With this access, they can apply for jobs, update resumes, or obtain access to online entertainment.


Let's here your opinion!

Does public access to computers help bridge the gap for the digital divide?