The digital divide refers to the distance that exists between social groups regarding access and use of information and communication technologies.
The digital divide is the distance between social groups regarding access and use of information and communication technologies ( ICT ).
Before proceeding to delve into the meaning of the concept, it is necessary to know the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape. In this case, we can highlight the following:
- Gap is a noun that comes from the French bréche . This can be translated as “broken” and is considered to, in turn, come from the Germanic breham .
- Digital , on the other hand, has its etymological origin in the Latin digitalis , which means “relative to the finger” and is the result of the sum of two components: the noun digitus , which is synonymous with “finger” , and the suffix -al , which is used to express “relative to” .
What is the digital divide
To know precisely what a digital divide is, it is also convenient to analyze the terms that make up the expression. An opening or separation is called a gap . Digital , for its part, refers to the system or element that contains information expressed through the use of discrete signals .
A digital divide can occur due to economic, social or geographical issues , to name a few possibilities. When this gap exists, there is a group of people who can access and use technological tools regularly, while another group does not have this possibility. This digital divide generates inequality of opportunities : without access to technology , it is not possible to use information to generate new knowledge.
It is common for the digital divide to be measured with respect to the Internet connection. Suppose that , in a country As you can see, there is an enormous difference between the two countries: that is the digital divide between them.
The digital divide is a problem for development.
The role of the State
The State , through public policies , must work to eliminate the digital divide and democratize access and use of ICT . Reducing the digital divide also means a reduction in inequalities in general, allowing more people to have the opportunity to learn and find better jobs, for example.
It is important to work on eliminating the digital divide since it is considered that new technologies bring with them numerous advantages, among which we can highlight the following:
- They give the possibility of communicating with any corner of the world quickly and easily.
- They offer access to multiple sources of knowledge.
- They become an ideal tool to promote training.
- They are a great resource for working from home.
- They also give the possibility of buying and selling anywhere on the planet.
- They are a great alternative when it comes to having assistance and monitoring at home when you are sick or have a disability.
- They are an inexhaustible source of entertainment.