The Digital Divide and Its Impact on Social and Economic Inequality (IT ERA 2nd topic).pdf

the division of technology and transformation of impacts. Digital transformation is one of the impacts of the society and make the impacts and improvement

1. Prepared by : Nica I.
Gregorio
The Digital Divide
and Its Impact on
Social and
Economic
Inequality

2. Table of
Contents
Points for discussion
What is the Digital Divide?
Perspectives on the digital divide
Is the digital divide a problem for society?
who is able to deal with digital media?
The evolution of divides in digital media use
Social inequality and digital divides

3. What is the Digital
Divide?
In 1995 the term ‘digital divide’ was
first used in a number of
newspapers in the United States. It
was backed by data in the report
Falling through the Net, published by
the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration,
which talked about ‘haves and have
nots’ (NTIA 1995)

4. Definitions of the digital divide
What does the concept actually mean?
GENERAL
A division between people who
have access to and use of digital
media and those who do not
SPECIFIC
WHO (individuals vs.
organizations/communities vs.
societies (individuals: income,
education, age, gender;
organizations: ownership;
countries: developed or
developing, urban or rural)
PROCESS
Divisions in the access to and
use of four phases in the
adoption of digital media:
motivation, physical access,
digital skills and usage.

5. Perspectives on the digital divide
PERSPECTIVE DESCRIPTION
Innovation Adoption or not of
information and communication
technology for progress or
development
(IN)EQUALITY
More or fewer opportunities to
adopt and use information and
communication technology
PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY
Inclusion in or exclusion from
society by adopting and using
information and communication
technology

6. Is the digital divide a problem for society?
it has to be demonstrated that people can no longer play any other role in
contemporary society without using digital technology.
In most developed countries governments expect that citizens have an email
address and access to the Internet.
Without using social-networking sites people may lose friends or contacts
and miss invitations for parties and the like.

7. Is the digital divide a problem for society?

8. Literacy is probably the most
frequently used term, in combination
with various adjectives: computer
literacy, media literacy, digital
literacy, information literacy and
many others.
Media literacy, it means being able
to access, analyse, evaluate and
create messages in a wide variety of
media, including traditional media. It
is often a normative concept too,
because audiences are supposed to
be critical in using media and their
messages, and children in school
have to be educated accordingly.
Who is able to deal with digital media?

9. who frequently and variously uses digital
Media?

10. who frequently and variously uses digital
Media?

11. The evolution
of divides in
digital media
use
the gap is determined not only by socio-
economic inequality but also by a cultural
differentiation that is growing in postmodern
society
Divides in digital media use are also the result
of the general differentiation of social
relationships, together with economic divisions
of labor and culture in a postmodern network
society.
The greater the diffusion of digital media in
society and daily life, the more their use will
vary.

12. Social
inequality
and digital
divides
Primary goods of information are expressed by
the basic knowledge of how our complex
society works: the markets of labour and
exchange, housing, transport, education and
health care.
Having or lacking primary goods means
absolute (in)equality
The most important reason why information as
a positional good is becoming more important
is because the information society has also
become a network society.
Mass society (a society with an infrastructure
of ‘masses’ – organic groups, organizations and
communities in which people are living).
The context: the information
and network society

13. Social
inequality
and digital
divides
The network society is marked by relative
inequality because the positions and relations
in its social and media networks are distributed
unequally.
Traditional social networks and new digital
media networks are integrated, and in this way
positions of social networks are reflected and
reinforced by positions in digital media
networks.
The context: the information
and network society

14. Tripartite
participation
in the
network
society

15. Estimated levels of characteristics of social classes
indeveloped countries

16. Conclusion
Relative Inequality: Some individuals and social groups benefit more
and earlier from digital media use, leading to disparities in who can
effectively leverage resources in a networked society.
Absolute Inequality: Digital media use exacerbates social inequality
when only certain segments of society achieve positive outcomes,
such as accessing vital information. As digital media becomes essential
for daily life and work, those lacking access or basic digital skills face
exclusion.

17. Conclusion
Digital media use widens social inequality, with a greater gap now
between those with no digital skills and those with advanced skills than
the historical divide between the unlettered and intellectuals.
Digital media, now pervasive in all areas of life, create a more
significant gap than traditional media, which were primarily limited to
schools, workplaces, and leisure.
Evolution of new digital technologies, such as AI and virtual reality, are
likely to widen digital divides and social inequality. While easier to
operate, these technologies may make it harder to achieve real
benefits compared to older digital tools.

18. Thank you!