The Great Digital Divide

A smartphone (not a cell phone) has become as commonplace as a pair of pants in our modern era. Everyone is surfing the web, checking, tweets, making calls, sending texts, and posting pictures all from the luxury of their handheld mobile. However these devices go beyond just mobile phones; with the gadgets tantalizing features and status symbol, tablets, laptops, and e-readers have become quite desirable by billions of people globally. The Pew Research Internet Project reports that "The number of Americans ages 16 and older who own tablet computers has grown to 35%, and the share who have e-reading devices like Kindles and Nooks has grown to 24%. Overall, the number of people who have a tablet or an e-book reader among those 16 and older now stands at 43%.” Technology has not only gained popularity because of its efficiency and practicality but it has gained popularity because of the social status acquainted with it.

This desire to have the newest and most efficient technology is no different than the desire to have a new car, the reasoning for both these desires are the same as well, to divide oneself from a majority: to be praised for a social distinction. This distinction between those with the latest technology and those without is known as the Digital Divide.  The Digital Divide is a social issue which refers to the amount of information that people can access based on their access to the internet. The concern is primarily with an individuals ability to have information, communications, and technologies equivalent to their peers. This digital divide has an immensely negative effect on millions of people.

In the modern job market and economy the majority of all business, from job applications to scheduling meetings, is handled online. Those from a financially disadvantaged setting will usually not have the same access to information, technology and, communication capabilities as someone who is financially stable. Therefore the ability for someone from a lower class to ever break that class distinction is very unlikely.  My understanding of this great digital divide is that it causes inequitable plight for many individuals and creates disillusioned minds among our peers, as far as social statuses and new technology is concerned.