Reader Response 3 (World wakes up to digital divide)

Wakefield (2010) observes that digital divide is becoming a growing concern in the world. In her article, she quotes sources from International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that ranks countries based on their internet connectivity and economic status, to show that the more economically developed countries are the most connected. Reports from New America Foundations (NAF) also propose that the internet usage of a developed nation is not proportionately represented as the rural areas tend to have lesser internet access and usage as compared to the urban cities. The author finds that the less developed countries in Europe, which have noticed this trend of unequal usage in their counties, try to increase their overall access to internet of the rural villages by providing Wi-Fi infrastructure to them. This helps some villagers to improve their lives socially, economically and culturally. However, according to Wakefield, there is a fundamental problem that deters the internet usage in the rural areas to rise significantly. The internet usage is too "sophisticated" for many of the uneducated and poor villagers to comprehend and use. This shortcoming of technology has led me into thinking what are the possible remedies and alternatives we can propose to develop a better living environment for all.

 

To ensure that the underprivileged can also maximise the benefits from the information and communications technology (ICT), the government first has to implement pro-ICT policies, such as technological public education, to equip them with the relevant knowledge needed to fully utilise the technology. However, it is also important for the government to subsidise the pressing survival needs of the less privileged members of the society as they prioritise these needs over the necessity of an access to technology. Looking at the broader picture, these subsidies for basic needs and the technological education are all parts of the government's supporting efforts to increase the usage of ICT among the less educated poor and narrow the digital gap between this disadvantaged group and the rest of the society, so that the lives of all the people can be improved.

I live in a highly economically developed nation with advanced technology, but I also acknowledge the fact that everyone has different resources and abilities. Some of the people are simply too poor to afford either an access to technology or an education that enables them to use these technologies productively. However, Wakefield seems to neglect this fact when she remarks that broadband connectivity will improve the lives of people if they use it effectively. In fact, standing in the shoes of a poor and uneducated villager who lives in the rural area of an economically less developed country, I feel that technology may not be the best contributing factor to improve the lives of these members of the society. I will not deny the fact that technology is a crucial element that has brought prosperity and improvement in living standards to the people of my nation. Yet, such degree of effective improvement in the standards of living is not guaranteed to everyone in my society and the other countries in the world.

According to the Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1943), 'needs' have different degrees and layers. Many poor in the developing countries could not even afford their basic needs of survival, such as food and housing. Thus, these poor may feel that technology is one of the irrelevant luxurious 'wants' because it creates an even heavier financial burden to their lives. In fact, the article itself reports that Native Americans who live in the 'barren desert' have to pay more for the Wi-Fi access. In addition, the internet also may provide these less privileged ones with information that will not help to improve their standards of living in a direct and effective manner. This is mainly due to the fact that some of these technologies are simply too expensive for them to use in their daily lives. For instance, telemedicine, which allows patients to receive medical treatment without the need of travelling long distances, is a costly treatment that many poor villagers cannot afford (Hjelm, N. M, 2005).


Some disadvantaged members of the highly developed countries, such as Singapore and America, also have similar financial troubles too. This is because that income disparity is a serious problem in these nations. Despite the high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, many poor families in Singapore still struggle with their basic needs. However, the Singapore government helps this group of people to cope with the advancing technology by providing them with financial aids and means to obtain the essential knowledge of using ICT. This helps the people to find such technology less alien to comprehend.

Government-subsidised housing, education and healthcare services are examples of the financial aids that the state provides for the less privileged members of the society to meet their fundamental needs. After their basic needs are well taken care of, the people can be educated in ICT with the help from the policies and projects implemented by Ministry of Education and Ministry of Communications and Information. The poor can learn how to operate the computer in IT classes provided in Community Centres (CC) while the young can learn the important technological skill in their educational institutions. Almost all government schools have an E-Learning Day, which requires students to complete their academic work entirely online. One of the significances of this programme is to showcase the schools' effectiveness in imparting IT knowledge to students. Other than the programmes provided by the ministries of Singapore government, the ruling authority also cooperates with the National Library Board to offer low-cost IT courses for the less educated elderly so that they can be more actively involved in the digital world too. These pro-ICT efforts will help the less advantaged members of the society to gain more knowledge and broaden their horizons.  

 
Though this system is not perfect in allowing all citizens to have an access to the technology, it shows that the authority has taken note of the priority of needs and wants of the people to devise appropriate projects that benefit the people. Although the access to ICT may not be the top priority of the less privileged members of the society, I agree with Wakefield’s view about the positive impact of effective usage of internet. This is probably why the government has put in so much effort in implementing these programmes in Singapore. With these schemes, the poor will not be left out in terms technological benefit after their basic needs have been well taken care of.

All in all, it is true that greater usage of technology does improve the lives of people, but it may not be the most useful factor to increase the standards of living of the people, especially the less privileged members of the society, who lack both the financial means for survival and the relevant skills to use such technology meaningfully. In my opinion, knowledge is the key for the poor to climb up the social ladder. This is why I believe that providing technological public education is the most helpful channel to narrow the digital divide and create a better future for the people in the long run; after the government hands out monetary aids to help the poor to meet their basic needs.

References:

Wakefield, J. (2010). World wakes up to digital divide. Retrieved September 10, 2014, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8568681.stm

Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50 (4), 370–96. Retrieved September 10, 2014, from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm

Hjelm, N. M. (2005). Benefits and drawbacks of telemedicine. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 11 (2), 60-70