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Research papers on The digital divide

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  1. The first-level digital divide shifts from inequalities in physical access to inequalities in material access

    Alexander Johannes Aloysius Maria van Deursen, Jan A. G. M. van Dijk · 2018 · New Media & Society · 1,211 citations

    For a long time, a common opinion among policy-makers was that the digital divide problem would be solved when a country's Internet connection rate reaches saturation. However, scholars of the second-level digital divide have concluded that the divides in Internet skills and type of use continue to expand even after physical access is universal. This study-based on an online survey among a representative sample of the Dutch population-indicates that the first-level digital divide remains a problem in one of the richest and most technologically advanced countries in the world. By extending basic physical access combined with material access, the study finds that a diversity in access to devic

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  3. From the ’Digital Divide’ to Digital Inequality: Studying Internet Use as Penetration Increases

    Paul DiMaggio and Eszter Hargittai and Coral Celeste and Steven Shafer · 2001 · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · 487 citations

    The authors of this paper contend that as Internet penetration increases, students of inequality of access to the new information technologies should shift their attention from the divide - inequality between haves and have-nots differentiated by dichotomous measures of access to or use of the new technologies - to digital inequality, by which we refer not just to differences in access, but also to inequality among persons with formal access to the Internet. After reviewing data on Internet penetration, the paper describes five dimensions of digital inequality - in equipment, autonomy of use, skill, social support, and the purposes for which the technology is employed - that deserve addition

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  4. Toward a Multifaceted Model of Internet Access for Understanding Digital Divides: An Empirical Investigation

    Alexander Johannes Aloysius Maria van Deursen, Jan A. G. M. van Dijk · 2015 · The Information Society · 348 citations

    In this investigation, a multifaceted model of Internet appropriation that encompasses four types of access—motivational, material, skills, and usage—is tested with a representative sample of the Dutch population. The analysis indicates that while the digital divide policies' focus has moved to skills and usage access, motivational and material access remain relevant since they are necessary through the entire process of Internet appropriation. Moreover, each type of access has its own ground of determination and they interact together to shape digital inequalities. Therefore, digital divide policies should address material, skills, and usage access simultaneously.

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  5. From the 'Digital Divide' to 'Digital Inequality': Studying Internet Use as Penetration Increases

    Paul DiMaggio, Eszter Hargittai · 2023 · 318 citations

    We contend that as Internet penetration increases, students of inequality of access to the new information technologies should shift their attention from the “digital divide” -- inequality between “haves” and “have-nots” differentiated by dichotomous measures of access to or use of the new technologies -- to digital inequality, by which we refer not just to differences in access, but also to inequality among persons with formal access to the Internet. After reviewing data on Internet penetration, we describe five dimensions of digital inequality -- in equipment, autonomy of use, skill, social support, and the purposes for which the technology is employed -- that we believe deserve additional

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  7. The Digital Divide: The Internet and Social Inequality in International Perspective

    Massimo Ragnedda, Glenn W. Muschert · 2013 · 124 citations

    Grounded in classical sociological theories of inequality, as well as empirical evidence, this book defines ‘the digital divide’ as the unequal access and utility of internet communications technologies and explores how it has the potential to replicate existing social inequalities, as well as create new forms of stratification. The Digital Divide examines how various demographic and socio-economic factors including income, education, age and gender, as well as infrastructure, products and services affect how the internet is used and accessed. Comprised of six parts, the first section examines theories of the digital divide, and then looks in turn at: \n \nHighly developed nations and region

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  9. Comparing Digital Divides: Internet Access and Social Inequality in Canada and the United States

    Philip N. Howard, Laura Busch, Penelope Sheets · 2010 · Canadian Journal of Communication · 108 citations

    What is the best way to measure and track the digital divide, in a comparative manner, over time? What impact have differing policy interventions had on the digital divide in Canada and the United States? We offer a way of benchmarking equality in Internet access using Gini coefficients and demonstrate that overall the digital divide has been closing in both countries. We find that in terms of income, the digital divide in Canada has closed most dramatically, and that in terms of education, the digital divide remains most pronounced in the United States. We suggest that Canada has been more successful in reducing the concentration of Internet access among wealthy educated populations, in par

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  14. Digital Divide: Examining Socioeconomic Inequalities in Internet Access and Usage

    Deepak Kem · 2024 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research · 6 citations

    The term "digital divide" refers to the disparity that exists between those who have access to digital technologies, most notably the internet, and those who do not have such access. This disparity is caused by several socioeconomic, regional, and demographic reasons. The digital gap not only exacerbates existing disparities but also creates challenges for marginalized communities. This is because the Internet is becoming an increasingly vital instrument for education, communication, employment, and social involvement. The purpose of this review article is to analyze the underlying factors that contribute to these disparities, such as income, education, geographic location, and age, and to i

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  17. Bridging the Digital Divide: How Internet Access Shapes Human Capital Development and Economic Inequality

    Jinyan Liao, Sameer Kumar, Fumitaka Furuoka · 2025 · Jurnal e-Bangi/e-Bangi · 2 citations

    This study investigates the relationship between the digital gap and the development of human capital concerning economic inequality. Despite the swift progression of the digital economy, which presents novel chances for knowledge acquisition and skill development. The unequal access to the internet has deepened disparities in human capital across different socioeconomic groups, thereby contributing to broader economic inequality. The digital divide is primarily influenced by a combination of factors: access to technology, digital literacy, and financial circumstances. We examine specific regions and demographic groups to analyze the impact of digital skills on human capital development and

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  18. How Did We Deliver Team-Based Learning (TBL) Remotely to Overcome Digital Divide and Internet Access Inequality?

    Adhari Abdullah Alzaabi · 2023 · International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET) · 2 citations

    The shift to online learning during COVID-19 has uncovered the existing internet access inequality in the world. Shifting an interactive team-based learning (TBL) session to online is even more challenging since it necessitates interactions and feedback. Choosing the proper digital platforms for online TBL is critical to ensure achieving the intended benefits of TBL. A face-to-face TBL course was transformed fully to online. The basic TBL elements, i.e., pre-reading materials, iRAT, tRAT, and the tAPPS, remained the same in online TBL. Platforms that use less internet bandwidth and are familiar to students were used such as Google meet, WhatsApp, and Google Chat. An online questionnaire was

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  20. The digital divide in South Africa : identifying emerging inequalities in Internet access and online public spheres

    Cathryn Reece · 2008 · Open University of Cape Town (University of Cape Town)

    This thesis is an investigation into the digital divide in South Africa. Its main aim is to present for the first time an analysis of South African Internet access and Internet users, in the context of existing digital divide theory. Four possible models of digital divides will be tested by assessing Internet access, Internet users and Internet user behaviour. The first part of this thesis sheds light on how changes over time in the number of people Internet access in South Africa can be understood. In an effort to evaluate four possible models from literature on digital divides, statistics on Internet access in South Africa are scrutinised in ways that have not yet been done in academic lit

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