Bridging Digital Divide
Equality is a very confusing word. Why? Because society and the world at large are not homogeneous. Divisions exist. But the question that matters more is, are we perpetuating inequality? Are we doing enough to bridge the gap? Let us keep the societal and economic divides aside for a while and take a deeper look at the digital divide, with particular emphasis on India.
Digital divide is a relatively new divide. So what is a digital divide?
Digital divide is of dynamic nature. Simply put, it refers to inequality with regard to access and use of technology. The fourth Industrial revolution has made access to information and connectivity, an integral part of it.
So how to measure it? Why should it be addressed? Let us have a look.
Is digital divide narrowing??
How is it measured? Traditionally infrastructure was the sole factor in measuring DDG or Digital Divide Gap. From the number of wired telephone lines, later to mobile phones and now to access to Internet, the digital divide view has changed dramatically. Gone are the days, when Internet was a luxury affair. Former US president Barack Obama said, “The Internet is not a luxury ,it is a necessity”.
A report from the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly in 2016, declared that access to Internet was a basic human right. In India, Kerala became the first state to declare so. Statistics show that number of people using Internet has substantially increased in the recent years. The Internet penetration rate which stood at about 27% increased to 50% in 2020. Purely on terms of Internet usage statistics, digital divide is narrowing and the whole world is expected to have access by 2028.
Is it really narrowing????
There is a catch. DDG has moved on. Internet accessibility is not the sole goal now. Utilization of information and receptiveness are also a priority. Speed and efficiency of Internet also matters. Unfortunately, people who are not connected disproportionately are older, poorer, those who belong to female and LGBTQ+ community and are from rural regions. Among nations, developing nations are far behind developed countries as is evident from the following graph.
Even within a country like India the above mentioned factors are largely at play,
1.Age: Majority of Indian Internet users are of age less than 29 and more than 20.
2.Rural/Urban: In 2019, it was estimated that there were 290 million Internet users in rural India compared to 337 million urban Internet users.
3.Gender: In India there are more male users than female users but it is worth mentioning that over 26 million Indian women Internet users were added in 2019 and the rate is increasing in rural India at a faster rate.
Why is it important to address digital divide?
Because it leads to inequality in benefitting from services. Automation of manual tasks has enabled us to invest our time and energy to cater to more demanding issues. It is important that Information and Communications technology(ICT) reaches everyone. In that way apart from benefitting everyone, it also provides for inclusivity.
It is necessary to acknowledge the role that technology has played in bringing down rigid divisions. For example, digital platforms like Facebook, host groups that promote healthy conversations and raises awareness. This has brought about a positive change in the lives of marginalized communities like LGBTQ+ community by enabling them to connect with each other. Tiny steps like inclusion of the same-sex emojis are a step in the right direction towards representation.
How are we bridging the digital divide?
The issue with bridging DDG is that it is often at the mercy of governments of each country and their policies. In Dec 2016, Gambia banned internet usage and international phone calls prior to the presidential elections and this was undesirable.
Many organizations are trying to bring down the divide and a well-wishing government is expected to support the cause by providing incentives and minimizing tax obligations to such organizations.
Perhaps the most important way is to increase digital literacy, i.e. making technology people-friendly. Cashless payment is one brilliant way in which people have adapted to technology. The COVID-19 situation promoted no-contact payment options. The pandemic has also enabled a leap in the use of technology in education. Teachers are better equipped than ever before, especially by dealing with online classes.
Digital literacy should also include teaching ICT skills and should not be just limited to using computer or mobile phone.
One way to attract people is to provide regional content. People can relate and adapt faster to concepts they interact with.
Incorporation of technology while providing governmental support is a good idea. Kisan Call Centre was a very good summation of some of the above mentioned points. It was launched by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in 2004 to address various farming-related queries faced by farmers by including technology.
Another honorable mention is the curious tale of Shri. Ranjitsinh Disale who went on to win numerous accolades including the Global Teacher Prize in 2020 for his innovations in teaching. He redesigned textbooks in the native language of his students along with unique QR codes that embedded audio poems and stories. Teenage marriages have become a thing of the past in that village and the school has 100% attendance by girls. His story proves that an individual can change lives significantly by harnessing the possibilities offered by technology.
Kerala Fibre Optic Network project(K-FON) is a project which aims at providing high-speed internet to all households and government establishments across the state. The first phase was launched recently and inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan. K-FON will be like a vendor-neutral optical fibre network. According to sources, parts of the K-FON network will be leased out to Internet Service providers or telecom operators and through them, public can access Internet.
Further on….
Web 2.0 technologies like Facebook and YouTube encourages passive participation without getting involved into the technological aspects. This is also known as the Second-level digital divide and it focusses on how people use the ICTs.
Another challenge is the censorship of Internet by governments to suit their agendas or in the name of security. While cybersecurity and privacy are pressing issues in the digital arena, they should not be provided by cutting off facilities as they are now a necessity for honest and healthy criticism.
With every new stride in technology, digital divide is acquiring new dimensions. It is up to us and our governments to try and bridge the divide before its too late!
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