The Digital Divide

Today we not only live in a world of social and economic divide, but also a digital divide. The issue has become more obvious as citizens are now able to have constant internet access on their mobile devices when others who are less fortunate, do not have the resources to simply do their schoolwork. 

When the internet first came along, Vice President Al Gore called it the "Global Information Highway," allowing users to create an information marketplace of endless opportunity. Throughout the years this opportunity is reflective of the endless social and economic inequality that is and has always been present.

There is a big divide between those who use the internet for sending information and documents and those who are on the internet for public information. Although internet speeds are a major factor in receiving information, user's access also depends on individual needs and capabilities. This is difference between sending an email to a colleague and having to look up times for the train to ride to work.

For the children at school without internet access, they have a problem keeping test scores up because of the lack of resources other students have. This is why public schools in Pittsburgh have teamed up with Comcast to offer a program in which students and their families are able to get internet service at low costs, cheap computers and digital literacy training. According to Pittsburgh's NPR News Station WESA, "...providing internet access helps to close the achievement gap" which in Pennsylvania, the gap for math scores between low-income and non-low-income students is 32 percentage points and for English is 30 points.

Essentially, there is a digital divide because the gaps the rich and the poor represent such social and economic inequality. If public schools can uproot this repetitive cycle and get kids the essential tools they need in order to succeed, the digital divide might become a little smaller in the future. After all, it is heavily influenced on education and your place in society.