“...inequality between groups, broadly construed, in terms of access to, use of, or knowledge of information and communication technologies."
This school that I visited was near my hometown of Detroit when I visited home last month. The school wasn’t as advanced as the “white” schools and most of the students at this Detroit Public School was lacking in the technology department. Any observer could see that because of the economy and the area, there was a cultural divide. If I were to shadow at my old middle school in the suburbs, I would have seen a completely different environment with computers, iPads, projectors, etc.
Mobile use fits into this equation by allowing people to access the Internet more freely through cellular devices. I don’t know one day that I don’t Google something or access social media through my phone. It’s also rare to find no more than about three phones at the Verizon store without Internet. I would say about 80% of the people I know have internet on their cell phones. One of the articles mentioned how there was a bill that is still going through the ratification process in Congress that would allow accessible technology to those with disabilities. A family friend of mine is blind but has a special computer that lets him access Facebook and he is always posting statuses!
With the digital divide gap slowly closing and more and more people are able to access technology, the issue shifts to what people know about technology and how the community is using/abusing it. Researchers are now examining how people use the internet and create content and what impact socioeconomic issues are having on user behavior. This type of digital literacy makes it easier for anyone to use the internet properly. For example, a student will use the internet to learn; however, there are other social medias and inappropriate websites that may distract them. Knowing what websites to use or applications to try is vital in keeping out spam, ads, viruses, etc. Anyone can be a creator of content, but how one avoids the negative content benefits them in the end.
Having access is key; however, it’s just the starting point. Having the skill set is the second half. Possessing the skills to browse properly online, for example, is a part of information literacy. I think that the digital divide in terms of social media is mediocre. I feel that most people understand the whole point of Facebook or Twitter: to stay connected. I think most social medias are easy to navigate through because my grandma even knows how post on walls or upload pictures.