What is the effect of digital divide?

Digital Divide:

1.         Introduction:

As technology is continuing to develop, large numbers of people are using the Internet to obtain information and this is increasing rapidly. Communication technology is providing a better system of exchanging information in large amounts at a lower cost. This increases the opportunity for businesses to expand globally and provides opportunity for success. This report will explain what the digital divide is and to what extent the concept of the digital divides of concern both internationally and in Australia is.

2.         Definition:

According to what is. techtarget.com, digital divide is the facts that people who do and people who don't have access to and capacity to use modern information technology can be divided society, such as the telephone, television, or the internet. These differences exist due to geography, race, economic status, gender and physical ability.

3.         The Australia Digital divide:

3.1 Difference in access between socio-economic groups:

In Curtin's article (2001), indicates that there is a range of social factors influences the existence of digital divide, which include age, gender, income and education. The research shows that the young are likely to access to Internet compare to those in the age from 25 to 54, and people who are over 55 have lower rates of access. Moreover, Curtin (ibid) examines two parent families and points out that the single mother household is less likely to be on-line. Curtin (ibid) also said that people have high income and education access to Internet more than these have lower income and education.

3.2 Difference in access between geographic areas:

According to Lloyd and Hellwig (cited in Curtin, 2001), metropolitan Australians have highest access rate 40% while 28% in Provincial centers with populations greater than 2500. In addition, those unemployed in rural areas are much likely to have Internet access...