Lesson 4
Digital
Devides
By: Joyce Ann Tulio
The Role of ICT and the Emergence
of the Digital Divide
The end of the 20th century saw significant
advancements in ICT, with governments and
international organizations recognizing its potential to
address global challenges like poverty, education,
healthcare, and economic recovery.
The Role of ICT and the Emergence
of the Digital Divide
Examples include the US's ICT investments mitigating
the 2009 financial crisis and the widespread use of
digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic for
tracking data, facilitating work-from-home, and
enabling essential services through apps. However,
the pandemic also exposed existing disparities, such
as unequal access to resources and medical care,
which mirrors the issues underlying the digital divide.
Defining the
Digital Divide
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Defining the Digital Divide
The term "digital divide" was coined in 1995 by the
US National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA). Various definitions
emphasize the disparity in access to computers and
the internet based on socioeconomic levels,
geographic location, and other factors. Pippa Norris
(2001) described ICTs as a "Pandora's box" that
could create new inequalities between the
"information rich and poor."
Today, the digital divide exists in many forms:
* Between urban and rural areas.
* Between the literate and illiterate, and the
educated and uneducated.
* Between different socioeconomic groups.
* Globally, between high-income and low-
income countries.
Even within a community, access to technology can
be uneven (e.g., public schools in the Philippines
with outdated computers and slow internet). The
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and UNESCO have long recognized that the
"network society" creates parallel communication
systems, one for the connected and another for the
disconnected, exacerbating the North-South divide.
The Digital
Divide in the
Philippines
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The Digital Divide in the Philippines
As a lower-middle-income country, the Philippines
exemplifies the digital divide. While fixed
broadband internet speeds have improved, they
still fall below the global average, ranking 103rd
among 139 surveyed countries in 2019. The cost of
internet service is also a significant barrier; 1 GB of
data is expensive at $7.10, and a typical Filipino
minimum wage earner needs over 10 hours of work
to afford it, making it the second-worst in ASEAN in
terms of affordability relative to income.
Sociologist Jan van Dijk (2013) outlines four
categories of access that contribute to the
digital divide:
* Psychological access: Fear, disinterest, or
trauma preventing internet use.
* Material access: Lack of computers or network
access due to socioeconomic status.
* Skills access: Insufficient skills and institutional
support for using ICT.
Sociologist Jan van Dijk (2013) outlines four
categories of access that contribute to the
digital divide:
* Usage access: Limited opportunities for
meaningful internet use.
While policy often focuses on material access
(providing hardware and connectivity), psychological
and skills access are frequently overlooked. The lack
of institutional support, such as inadequate ICT
infrastructure in schools (nearly 80% of Philippine
public schools were without internet access in 2016),
further compounds the problem. The shift to online
learning during COVID-19 highlighted these issues,
with only 48% of public schools having a working
internet connection in July 2020. Other barriers in the
Philippines include the high cost of internet and
gadgets, lack of electricity in rural areas, and
Digital
Inclusion:
Bridging the
Divide
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Digital inclusion
Digital inclusion is defined by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) as "empowering
people through information and technology." It
encompasses not only internet access but also the
availability of hardware, software, relevant content,
and digital literacy training.
Key frameworks for achieving digital inclusion
include:
* USAID's approach: Focuses on identifying
necessary tools and capabilities for digital economy
participation, and the policies and systems required
to enable them.
Key frameworks for achieving digital inclusion
include:
* University of Maryland's framework:
Emphasizes providing opportunities, access,
knowledge, and skills, supported by legislation and
social policy through the "three A's": Access
(available, affordable, user-friendly services),
Adoption (recognizing ICT relevance), and
Application (using ICT for development, education,
health, etc.).
Bradbrook and Fisher's (2004) "five C's":
* Connectivity: Access to infrastructure.
* Capability: Skills that are regularly updated.
* Content: Relevant and localized information.
* Confidence: Belief in ICT's ability to improve
lives.
* Continuity: ICT's integration into everyday life.
GSMA's framework: Prioritizes broadening
internet access, especially mobile internet
(4G/LTE), by addressing four barriers:
* Network infrastructure and policy: Encouraging
government support for rural infrastructure.
* Taxation: Reducing taxes on devices and services.
* Consumer barriers: Addressing illiteracy and lack
of skills.
GSMA's framework: Prioritizes broadening
internet access, especially mobile internet
(4G/LTE), by addressing four barriers:
* Local Content: Providing internet content in local
languages and relevant to local cultures.
New Zealand's Digital Inclusion Blueprint
(2019): Identifies four interdependent elements:
* Motivation: Understanding ICT's benefits.
* Access: Limited access to devices, services, and
content.
* Skills: Lack of know-how.
* Trust: Lack of confidence in online services.
In the Philippines, the Department of Information
and Communications Technology (DICT) has launched
initiatives like the E-Government Master Plan (EGMP)
(2019) and the National Broadband Plan (2016) to
integrate ICTs across government and improve
internet quality.
Conclusion
Bridging the digital divide requires more than just
political will and budget allocation. It depends on
addressing multifaceted constraints such as income,
class, literacy levels, and geographic location, often
linked to a lack of state support in infrastructure and
economic development. Digital inclusion is a
systematic response aimed at ensuring everyone can
access and benefit from technology, fostering unity
rather than division.
Thank You!
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