Digital Divide

The Digital Divide refers to the usage of technological resourses within a society (such as the internet) and the unequal divide in the people who have access to them.

a) This issue of digital immigrants and natives only affects those who have access to the internet within a society as others who cannot affors the privilage of the internet have no access to the digital world. Therefore even though someone can be born and grow up in the digital age, without easy access to the vital resources, they would not be considered a digital native. So although the majority of people within our society have some, if not limited, access to this technology, those without lack the same opportunities as the rest of us and as they don't, their children won't and this cycle continues widening the digital divide.

b) Like within our society, the whole world has a digital divide except on a much greater scale.

This image is from the United Nations Global Development Goals Indicators.

The numbers are a bit blurry but the darker the colour, the more computers there are in that certain area. As you can see here, the digital divide is huge and is evenly spread throughout as there are just as many places with little amounts of computers as there are with lots. Africa has less computers now than the western world did 10 years ago. This suggests that as we, as a world, progress and become more reliant on technology, some places in the world seem to be regressing due to the lack of advancment.