User:Csc300

The digital divide is a term that is well known to describe the existing chasm separating people with available access to information technology and those that do not. This separation has grown greater over the years as technological innovation boomed in developed countries. Similarly, the gap between the rich and poor also grew over time. This gap is evidence that it is becoming more inequitable between the rich and the poor. The digital divide can arguably be affected by the wealth difference among not only developed and developing countries, but even the poor and rich within a developed country.

Rich-poor gap
In Canada, the inequality in income measured by the Gini coefficient increased from 1989 to 2004. Despite the small drop in inequality a decade before, the gap grew even larger than it was. Even with government intervention, the progressive taxes (such as income tax) that reduce the gap of rich and poor is offset by regressive taxes. The inequality of wealth is even greater than income since wealth is not moderated by the government. In addition, wealthy individuals gain more through interest in investments or higher savings from higher income.

Correlation
The digital divide is most evident between developed and developing countries. Economic wealth in a country is a solid indicator on how much information technology is available. Many of the poorest countries are obviously the least connected. The concern to provide the basic necessities for these poor nations take higher priority than to bridge the digital divide, hence any relief sent will most likely be food and clothing rather than machines that does not guarantee survival. In addition, not only are every personal device expensive, but to host connections such as ISP will also be costly for a struggling nation. Hence in order to bridge a divide, a poor nation requires a large sum of resources to be able to break out of poverty. A sum not large enough to push pass the economic barrier will only aid them temporarily. This logic is similar to the wealth distribution in a developed country. The digital divide will never be fully bridged as long as there is a gap between the rich and the poor.