INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

The digital divide, simply put, is the gap between those people and communities with access to information technology and those without it. Yet, the fact is there are many divides, characterized by community, ethnic, economic, and age groups. These differences provide the basis for much research into internet use, and for the identification by some of the digital divide as an increasingly important feature of the growing economic and political gaps within and across 'developed' and 'developing' countries.
The internet can be used as a tool for social, political and economic participation. Its facilitation of one-to-many and many-to-many communication and open publishing means that those affected by the divide may suffer disadvantages relating to education, employment and awareness of contemporary issues. The digital divide is now seen as a pressing international and consequently, much research and media attention have been directed at understanding who is affected and why. It is generally accepted that the digital divide is more than just an issue of access, and information technology training and literacy is needed to assist those affected by the digital divide, who can then create content relevant to their needs.
Internet and computer use has undoubtedly increased in the United States and the digital divide may be smaller within certain populations. However, it remains a fact that poorer people may not be able to afford technology, and poorly funded schools aren’t always able to offer regular use of technology to their students. In contrast, students in middle class and upper class families, and in schools that have medium to excellent funding, may have technology at home and school. This gives them considerable advantages over those whose homes and schools don’t have the same offerings.
Third World countries have always struggled to keep up with the modernizing Western World and this has obvious affects on these countries. Everyone knows information is a form of power. The Third World countries now know this more than ever. The Internet is used for almost everything today, 'digital technology can have an impact on the flow of investment, goods and global services in the global market place and if a country cannot participate and connect in these technologies then they are left behind. The three prominent factors that influence internet use in Nigeria which is a third world country are those of poor internet services and infrastructure (e.g. low response time, network fluctuation, etc.), the lack of financial capacity to pay and inaccessibility to the internet. Being from Nigeria, efficient access to research information anywhere, anytime and in any form; which is of paramount use in the conduct of scientific and technological research is a problem that affects me directly.
Unfortunately, there is no one answer to solving the digital divide. Some critics insist that the divide will fade due to market pressures, with decreasing hardware and connectivity costs inevitably leveling the digital playing field. There is some merit to this argument, but only in part. Falling technology costs have indeed allowed more people to participate in the Internet revolution, but the digital divide isn't simply an issue of whether everyone can afford access to the Internet. Other factors must be considered as well.
Will the digital divide ever be solved? Admittedly, there will always be certain members of society who can afford the latest technologies before others, but there is much we can do to alleviate the effects of the divide. Community Technology Centers (CTCs), subsidized Internet access for low-income families, and non-commercial community networks are some of the methods being implemented across the U.S. to lessen the divide. But as programs develop, it must be recognized that many factors have led to the digital divide, and as a society, we need to establish a comprehensive strategy that addresses it from all angles. Access, literacy, content, cultural relevance, and community needs are just a few of these factors. Only when we develop a comprehensive digital divide strategy will we be able to make a real difference.

References
Bridging the digital divide in Nigeria: a study of internet use in Calabar Metropolis, Nigeria Okon Edet Ani, Chika Uchendu and Emmanuel U. Atseye http://www.scribd.com/doc/18499389/Title-Bridging-the-digital-divide-in-Nigeria-a-study-of-internet-use-in-Calabar-Metropolis-Nigeria The Digital Divide: Where We Are. A closer look at what the digital divide is and who it affects most. Norris Dickard and Diana Schneider http://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-where-we-are-today

Bridging the Digital Divide. Unknown http://www.bridgethedigitaldivide.com/digital_divide.htm Digital Divide. Unknown http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Digital_divide