User:Emsteacher/Digital divide

Added:

The Digital Divide refers to the gap between those who have access to new technology and those who do not. These technologies include, but are not limited to smart phones, computers, and the internet. The Digital Age (also known as the Information Age or Computer Age) describes the post-Industrial Revolution era in which information and communication technologies (ICTs) eclipsed manufacturing technologies as the basis for world economies and social connectivity. People without access to the Internet and other ICTs are at a socio-economic disadvantage because they are unable or less able to find and apply for jobs, shop and sell online, participate democratically, or research and learn. In a 2004 report to the U.S. Department of Commerce, William M. Daley's introductory letter stated, "With the emerging digital economy becoming a major driving force of our nation's economic well-being, we must ensure that all Americans have the information tools and skills that are critical to their participation. Access to such tools is an important step to ensure that our economy grows strongly and that in the future no one is left behind."

The U.S. Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) 2019 Broadband Deployment Report indicated that 21.3 million Americans do not have access to wired or wireless broadband internet. However, BroadbandNow, an independent research company studying access to internet technologies, estimates that the actual number of Americans without high-speed internet is twice that amount. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, smartphone ownership and internet use has increased for all Americans however a significant gap still exists between those with lower incomes and those with higher incomes. Pew reports that U.S. households earning $100K or more are twice as likely to own multiple devices and have home internet service than those making $30K or more, and three times as likely than those earning less than $30k per year. The same research indicated that 13% of the lowest income households had no access to internet or digital devices at home compared to only 1% of the highest income households.

Digital Divide and the COVID-19 Pandemic
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide issued stay-at-home orders that established lockdowns, quarantines, restrictions, and closures. The resulting interruptions in schooling, public services, and business operations, drove about half the world's population into seeking alternative methods to conduct their lives while in isolation. These methods include telemedicine, virtual classrooms, online shopping, social interactions and working remotely, all of which require access to high-speed or broadband internet access and digital technologies. A Pew Research Center study reports 90% of Americans describe use of the internet as "essential" during the pandemic. As life moved increasingly online, inequities created by the digital divide were exacerbated.

According to the Pew Research Center, 59% of children from lower income families were likely to face digital obstacles in completing assignments. These obstacles included use of a cellphone to complete homework, having to use public WiFi because of unreliable service in the home, and lack of access to a computer in the home. This difficulty, titled the homework gap, affects more than 30% of K-12 students living below the poverty threshold, and disproportionally affects American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic students.

A lack of "tech readiness", that is, confident and independent use of devices, has been reported among the elderly; with more than 50% reporting inadequate knowledge of devices and more than one-third reporting a lack of confidence. This aspect of the digital divide and the elderly has become more concerning during the pandemic as healthcare providers increasingly rely upon telemedicine to manage chronic and acute health conditions.