Transcript Online Journalism - Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU

JOUR 384 Online Journalism
Lesson 7: Social, Political and Legal
Implications
Metin Ersoy
FCMS
Social, Political and Legal
Implications

Digital divide


The term digital divide refers to the gap between
those people with effective access to digital and
information technology and those without access
to it.
It includes the imbalances in physical access to
technology as well as the imbalances in resources
and skills needed to effectively participate as a
digital citizen.
Social, Political and Legal
Implications



In other words, it’s the unequal access by some
members of the society to information and
communications technology, and the unequal
acquisition of related skills.
Groups often discussed in the context of a digital
divide include socioeconomic (rich/poor), racial
(majority/minority), or geographical (urban/rural).
The term global digital divide refers to
differences in technology access between
countries.
Social, Political and Legal
Implications


The term initially referred to gaps in
ownership of computers between groups. The
term came into regular usage in the mid1990s.
President of the United States Bill Clinton and
his Vice President Al Gore used the term in a
1996 speech in Knoxville, though the term
had appeared in several news articles and
political speeches as early as 1995.
Social, Political and Legal
Implications
Digital divide cartogram in which country size is proportional to Internet use.
Social, Political and Legal
Implications

Global digital divide


Another key dimension of the digital divide is the
global digital divide, reflecting existing economic
divisions in the world.
This global digital divide widens the gap in
economic divisions around the world. Countries
with a wide availability of internet access can
advance the economics of that country on a local
and global scale.
Social, Political and Legal
Implications


In today's society, jobs and education are
directly related to the internet. In countries
where the internet and other technologies are
not accessible, education is suffering, and
uneducated people cannot compete in the
global economy.
This leads to poor countries suffering greater
economic downfall and richer countries
advancing their education and economy.