Bridging Digital Divide

“Technology is only a powerful as it is accessible. Broader access brings education, information and a sense of community that can help combat AIDS, malnutrition, ignorance and neglect. The power of a connected and enlightened world community is just beginning”- Hector Ruiz, Chairman of the Board and President of AMD

Digital divide has been a common problem in today’s society and many organisations all over the world are now trying their best to stop digital divide. Bridging digital divide has now become one of the main topics all over the world; it has everyone talking about it. So how can we actually stop this? Surely it’s impossible as many countries have some other problems too? Should we not think about the bigger picture instead, like world peace?

In the UK alone, many have been trying on how to bridge digital divide. They’ve come up with many ideas like Race Online 2012. Race online 2012 main aim is “to make the UK the first nation in the world where everyone can use the web”. They also offer IT training and has negotiated a cheap internet packages to help people access the web.

http://raceonline2012.org/                                             

http://www.close-the-gap.org/ - this is another website that helps bridging digital divide.

 Ways to stop Digital Divide:

There are many and varieties of little ways on how to bridge digital divide. All little ways counts on helping, by just simply recycling your old technologies and then giving it to charities. I’m sure that many people has phones that they don’t even use anymore and therefore giving it to charities that help bridging digital divide would have a massive effect.

Another way of bridging digital divide is maybe by talking more about it publically. Let people know what’s going on so that they an idea on what to do and how to help. Or maybe even let students know about it, have a discussion about it at school so that younger people would know. By discussing more about this problem publicly, more people would take notice and maybe more people would then try and help.

Internet accessibility over the rural areas would help bridge digital divide.  As I said , rural and urban areas causes digital divide therefore by having an alternative internet access like satellite in rural areas , digital divide would be less.

What would happen if there is no digital divide?

I think that the world would be a better place. Each country’s economic state would improve and be equal. Access to Internet is now crucial and by having this, it’ll improve countries economic state as more jobs would be available. Also, in case of emergency if there are new technologies around it would be easy to call someone for help etc. Social life would be better and easier as you can then contact and be closed to anyone all over the world. This could also lead to everyone having better respect for each other and treating each other equally. If every one of us has equal amount of chances of having internet connection or technologies, the world would be a better place overall but as usual there will always be some negative about this...