Guest posting by Jesal Shah
In the upcoming decade, the incessant development of the Internet and the numerous interconnected technologies, known as the Internet of Things, invoke images like the one below of a futuristic, advanced technology world commonly portrayed in movies.
Future City Too (Image credit: RobertDBrown)
However, as is typical, the pristine, ultramodern spaces’ perfection often masks the marginalized people and issues at the fringe of society. With the great vision involved in “Internet of Things” also arises the challenge of the Digital Divide, the gap between those who have resources for and access to information technology as well as the knowledge/skills to effectively employ it compared to those who do not.1
The growing importance of technology in all spheres of life, from education to healthcare, places the Digital Divide at the forefront of the social equity discussion. The role of technology can accentuate the unmitigated inequalities rampant domestically and globally, further enabling those who are well-off and disadvantaging those already underserved. While by all means a great leap for society, there are serious concerns as to how equally the benefits will be shared.
In the U.S., the foundation for this inequality will be the exclusivity and expense involved in securing a high-speed internet connection that all these “things” rely on. This issue is extremely prominent due to the limited number of players in the cable industry as well as the largely laissez-faire approach by the government.2 For example, a study in 2010 by the Department of Commerce highlighted that only 43% of households below $25,000 reported wired internet at home in contrast to 93% for households above $100,000.3
While a difficult battle, there are preventive tactics that can weaken this divide going forward. The need to incorporate technology in public education systems was emphasized as a long-term, intergenerational solution.1,5 Increased government regulation in the U.S. could help lift the U.S. from its twelfth position, in terms of wired internet connection compared to other OECD countries, by improving affordability and access.3 Incentivizing information-communication technologies that directly involve and focus on underserved population groups, such as the poor and the disabled, will facilitate adoption and thus, help reduce the divide.Moreover, mobile phones can be leveraged as the gateway to greater technology use and accessibility amongst the low-income youth.4 Addressing the digital divide is no doubt a tremendous battle, but an extremely necessary one to lessen the eventual inequality. There are critical choices, like those mentioned above, that need to be made to fully promote a digital revolution throughout society and all its members.
Resources:
- http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/05/14/internet-of-things/
- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/opinion/sunday/internet-access-and-the-new-divide.html?pagewanted=all
- http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press-release/2011/new-commerce-department-report-shows-broadband-adoption-rises-digital-divide-pers
- http://blogs.worldbank.org/publicsphere/addressing-digital-divide
- http://www.rand.org/news/press/2014/03/03.html