Bridging the Digital Divide

The digital divide is a socio-political concerned with the economic gap between communities that have access to computers and the Internet and those who do not. The term also refers to gaps that exist between groups' abilities to information technologies due to differing levels of literacy and technical skills, and to the gap that exists between groups who have access to useful digital content and those who do not. The problem is often discussed in an international context, indicating that certain countries, such as the United States, are far more equipped than other developing countries to take advantage of the Internet and other information technologies. While this is true in many cases, the digital divide within the United States and other developed countries is quite significant, too.