An early study (1995), around the inception of the Internet, suggested that "white families are three times more likely to have computers at home than blacks and Latinos." Since then, a great deal of research has been done on what is termed the "digital divide." The digital divide is most commonly defined as the gap between those individuals whohave, and those who do not have, access to on-line information.
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Commerce released "A Nation Online: How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet," the latest study on computer and Internet use in America. It pointed to U.S. Census data showing that 143 million Americans, or about 54 percent of the population, are using the Internet. It also states that the gap between the have's and have-not's has expanded, with Hispanics (31.8 percent) and African Americans (39.8 percent) lagging behind whites (59.9 percent) in Internet access at home, "suggesting serious ethnic and racial divides". (Dickhard and Schnedier. "The Digital Divide: Where We Are."
Given the above, is there reason to be optimistic that the Internet will help minorities and lower income Americans develop a stronger voice in media?
If, according to the study, racial divides are expanding, then I think it's hard to be optimistic. But I am. Just from the examples we have seen, the AAJA, the NAJA, etc., I feel it is possible for minority groups to use the internet to their advantage and as a way to develop a stronger voice in the media.
ReplyDeleteThis issue also reflects the idea of hegemony that we have discussed throughout the semester. It seems that the dominant group has the access, and they're not letting it go. That's why I beleive it is important for schools and libraries to have computers. But with budget cuts and lack of funding, some schools use inferior computers that are too old. Just look at the computer in this room. :)
I think that it is important to recognize that this study was about those who have internet at home. I would hope that with resources such as public libraries, those who dont have computers in their home do have access and resources available. I think that if they are not taking advantage of these resources, they must not want to. Also, younger people who do not have computers at home learn how to use computers in schools, or can learn at the library and the resources are also available to them.
ReplyDeleteAs for being optimistic? Well, I am still optimistic. I do not think that not having access at home can keep someone from using free resources elsewhere. With that being said I think that if someone does not utilize these services they are being lazy or have no desire to utilize them. Also, cell phones have internet capability and I know many people who may not have internet at home because they are fine using internet on their phone. We can't do much to make this access available in the homes of other people, so the gap does not suggest that a majority is ignoring a minority. I think the digital divide can easily be fixed, or can be atleast restudied to include these newer technologies.
Gabrielle makes a really good point -- just because a person can't access the Internet at home doesn't mean that they can't gain access elsewhere. As we noted during class, practically every library has computers, and they are always in use. From my observations at my public library back home, it seems like there aren't enough computers to meet the demand for Internet access.
ReplyDeleteHaving Internet access at home is certainly convenient. I know that my Internet access was down yesterday morning, and I felt really uncomfortable starting out my day without knowing what was going on in the news, what was in my personal and school e-mail inboxes and what people had updated on Facebook. It was a weird feeling to not know what was going on in my world, and I felt like I was missing something important. (I also feel compelled to note that when I was able to get on the Internet later, I hadn't missed anything big at all, but I have been spoiled with constant access).
I think that access to the Internet is so important for education and information, and people without the ability to access the Internet at home or in another place are limited in their ability to learn and communicate. Improved access to the Internet can help people who previously haven't had a voice in mainstream media to find an outlet for expression. I understand that we are currently in a recession and it is difficult for families and public spaces such as libraries to find the funding to add more technology and Internet access, but I think the digital divide will be narrowed as prices are lowered.
I think it will get to a point where the voices agitating for the digital divide to be eliminated will be so loud and so forceful that it will be difficult for service providers and local and federal government to ignore.
Lottie and Gabrielle made the point that public access is available to all. It makes me wonder if they ever had to wait in line for access in a library. The book also points out that the “have-not” schools often have far too few terminals, and they are often outdated.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a paper on the digital divide in my freshman year. I was the only one who said that it was growing. It was a case of have and have-nots globally (The Internet dispenses information and media globally). Many people do not even have electricity, and of those that do, a single bare lightbulb is a luxury. We in America are in much the same situation. Time and transportation to and from the public venues is often a problem.
I am not optimistic. The Gordon rule states that technology is growing faster than income. Even the so-called middle class will lag behind information advances.
“Technology, despite its potential to level the social landscape, is not yet blind to race, wealth and age” (Hancock, 263).
ReplyDeleteAlthough not everyone has access to a computer with internet in their homes, the use of public internet has become more prevalent, especially in the school systems. This, however, brings up another aspect in the wealth and racial divide. Hancock stressed the lack of budgeting and the availability of computers with internet access in black, lower class schools. If students are not being granted use of the internet in an academic setting then their chances of developing technological skills are slimmed. The swift pace of high-tech advances will only drive a further wedge between the students.
On the subject of divide, according to the Newsweek poll in the text 23% of people say that computers divide rich people, who can afford technology, from poor people who cannot. However, 58% say computers don’t make much difference because the rich and poor are already so far apart. If this is the case, then regardless of whether computers are present in households or not, the rich are going to hold their power based on a larger socioeconomic status.
I would like to be optimistic about the digital divide. I would like to say that even those who don't have Internet access at home can easily use a computer at the library or at school. While that may sound easy and manageable to us, it just isn't the reality for a large number of people. A particular friend of mine comes to mind. For as long as I've known him (about 2 years) he hasn't owned a computer. He can't afford one or the monthly Internet bill that comes along with it. He doesn't have access to computers at school because, unlike us, he doesn't go to school. He could (and has) used the computers at the library, but he works 5 sometimes 6 days a week. That doesn't leave him much time to get to the library especially since he would have to walk there. He doesn't own a car.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, his lack of Internet access is a huge setback. I'm sure that this is the case for many people and I am not optimistic that today's economic status is going to help close the digital divide anytime soon.
While I know what Jenna is saying, and I agree with it, but I think that economic and technological progress will make the internet even more accessible than it currently is. It is already become somewhat of a necessity for many people, and I see it becoming even more of an addiction/necessity.
ReplyDeleteWith that, I would imagine the gap will shrink and it will become a staple of every household like regular broadcast television.
The digital divide is a very real thing in this country. And not just here but the world itself. Countries in Africa still need access to running water and electricity before they even consider having an Internet.
ReplyDeleteThe cost of home access runs at least $140 a year. Throw in non-monetary factors such as lack of infrastructure and credit card verification and those who may have computers might not be able to get the Internet still.
Those who can afford computers but not the latest models might also be left behind and are unable to search the Internet or use its applications like wealthier people do.
However, the gap can shrink in ingenious ways. The Internet can appear on cell phones, which can be more affordable in the long run compared to traditional home access. As smart phones replace the older technologies, their price points will eventually go down and people might be able to afford phones that can search the Internet over 36 or faster networks.
People can use computers at the library, but do you honestly think that such places have enough computers for everyone to use?
I believe that all parties who participate in and use the Internet should take an activist role to urge a creation of a free global Internet access. Wherever you are, you can get it.
I like what Martin said about the technological divide in this country and I agree; library computers often have lines waiting for the next available computer, and then once you sit down the Internet service is usually not the fastest. Also, I fear that in order to lessen the divide, low budget schools will pick computer labs over their music and art programs in order to give more kids the ability to learn how to use a computer, which is quickly becoming a necessity. Matt's right, the Internet should be, and NEEDS to be accessible for everyone anywhere, or there will be many people left with crippling disadvantages as far as seeking jobs or furthering their education. Every time I open up my laptop my parents (and grandparents) always ask me, "How would you survive school without a computer?" or "How do you think people used to study in college without that laptop?" Honestly, I don't know how I would do it...
ReplyDeleteI am optimistic that the internet will help minorities simply for the fact that they need to use it for educational and economic purposes, among others. Especially, while children are in elementary school and all the way into college because some students cannot afford their own laptops. It's very important for these kids to know how use the internet its resources properly. I've always had computers in each of my classrooms since kindergarten, so I suppose I was fortune in that respect because I started learning simple things at an early age. Like Sybli said though, with the AAJA, the NAJA, and etc. the minorities are using the internet to their advantage and getting their voices heard.
ReplyDeleteTouching on what Lottie said earlier, I know when my last computer broke and I didn't have a cell phone at the time that could access the internet I felt completely out of touch. I would have to go to library and wait for almost an hour to get onto a computer. So, are there enough computers available at public places? Of course not.
The internet for me, as sad as it is to say is a complete addiction. I go crazy if I don't know what’s going on right at that very moment if I absolutely need to. Enter--phone with web accessing capability.
It's very lazy if you think about it. I sleep with my laptop on my bed. I would prefer not to be bothered by turning over to open it up, wait for it load, go to whichever page I want. Instead, I have everything literally at my fingertips. As soon as I hear the sound of the email notification on my phone that’s all it takes me to roll over and turn my phones’ screen on then go back to bed.
"African Americans are disproportionately likely to access the internet through mobile devices. The trend is drastically cutting the information gap between African American and white Americans."
ReplyDeletehttp://mobile.blorge.com/2009/07/23/african-americans-lead-the-way-with-mobile-internet/
This article states that African Americans use mobile devices to access the internet, and that number is drastically growing. It doesn't explain why, but it goes on to state that it is cheaper to access the internet through a mobile device rather than more expensive at home access. This article is absolutely stereotyping African Anerican's as the poorer race, compared directly to the "white" race in this aspect of mobile internet.
How many of you have internet access on your cell phones? I am sure many of you do. And for this, the internet is accessible to many of us. I mean we can get to it as easy as pulling a phone out of our pocket and pushing connect. And with all the people that have cell phones - I am sure having this access is right around the corner, for most of us. (Note I resigned my contract with Verizon and they gave me a new phone with free internet, although I am not sure how long it will last but for the time being it is very nice!)
ReplyDeleteI am very optimistict that the digital divide will come to an end. Like many have already said, if a computer doesn't exist in the home, there are many other avenues to get the internet. Libraries and the workplace provide a great opportunity to get online.
I think that internet is more accessible to children from lower income families. Schools are aware that some of the students have better access to research resources because they have internet at home. So what did they do to fix that? When my little brother became a sophmore, the school gave him, and all the other students, a mac lap top to use. It had firewalls, and all the bells and whistles to keep kids from finding bad things on the internet.
ReplyDeleteThe result was that teachers were able to fairly assign homework that needed the internet, because all students had lap tops. What about internet access at home? Well, the school equipped the campus with wifi, so students had the option to stay on campus to do their internet homework. Currently, the students don't take laptops home, unless they check them out from the library. The campus now has laptop carts.
Either way, students who may not have been exposed to the internet at home, are getting exposed to internet at school.