Bridging the Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the growing gap between those individuals living in urban and suburban areas, which have access to the Internet, and the underprivileged members of society, noting the poor, rural, elderly and handicapped who don’t. These individuals don’t have access to substantial prerequisites like technical infrastructure and human capital. It’s important that society focuses on the bridging the gap that the digital divide created.

The most realistic solution is for organisations to sponsor outreach programs as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative in the areas they operate in. Such projects should aim at empowering communities through sustainable technology and education. This would require organisations to provide: refurbished, low-cost computers and the necessary training skills, teach maintenance skills for sustainable development, teach technological courses to citizens and computer education to children before their adolescent years.

In addition, companies like Telkom and Huawei (internet providers) could enhance communication and accessibility in rural areas by developing custom technology, adaptable to difficult environmental conditions at lower costs. The establishment of training centers in rural areas could improve local engineer’s level of communication technology. Over time, companies could employ locals and get a better understanding of the local market.

The internet is only as good and strong as its users. If some undeveloped countries were to be left unnoticed, it’s arguable that the internet is missing a link and would never fulfil its potential as long as that link is missing. Therefore, efforts to bridge the digital divide must be done by companies equipped with the adequate resources and skills. In order to eliminate or even reduce the aforementioned concept, it requires the involvement of everyone.

References for the contribution:

Bridging the digital Divide: connencting the unconnecting . (2013, Julty 08). Retrieved from http://www.analysysmason.com/About-Us/News/Insight/Bridging-digital-divide-Jul2013/

James, E. (n.d.). Learning to bridge the digital divide. Retrieved from http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/archivestory.php/aid/408/Learning_to_bridge_the_digital_divide.html

Lindsay Daugherty, R. D.-E. (n.d.). Using Early Childhood Education to Bridge the Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE119.html\

Unknown. (n.d.). Briding the Digital Divide. Retrieved from http://www.bridgethedigitaldivide.com/

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