Sunday, October 4, 2015

Divide or Spectrum of Access?

The discussion around the ditital divide presented in Stover's article is an important one, but I wonder if it might not be better to describe the problem as a spectrum of access. The reality is not that one class access to the technology of the information age and one without, but one of unequal access at all levels of society. Two "middle class" people in urban Southern Ontario might each have internet access and own computers, but one might be forced to share their bandwidth and the cost of connection due to economic constraints. That person may also have to be content with using a computer that is several years old with open source software that can cause compatibility issues. At the same time both individuals are better off than an impoverished rural area resident who cannot afford either. But, the again, what's needed to rectify this problem is largely political will and "digital divide" is a term that might marshal more political support. How did others find Strover's framing of this issue?

--Brandon

No comments:

Post a Comment