Digital Divide

Definition - What does Digital Divide mean?

The digital divide refers to the difference between people who have easy access to the Internet and those who do not. A lack of access is believed to be a disadvantage to those on the disadvantaged side of the digital divide because of the huge knowledge base that can only be found online. The digital divide appears in a number of different contexts, including:
  • Differences between rural and urban Internet access
  • Socioeconomic differences between people of different races, income and education that affects their ability to access the Internet
  • Differences between developed, developing and emerging nations in terms of the availability of Internet

Techopedia explains Digital Divide

The digital divide was once used to describe different rates of technology adoption by different groups. In recent times, however, Internet access has increasingly been seen as the primary advantage that many technologies can grant in that it represents a staggering store of knowledge and resources. In this sense, the digital divide may be shrinking as cheaper mobile devices proliferate and network coverage improves worldwide.

Popular White Papers

Techopedia Newsletter Sign-Up

Get Techopedia delivered to your inbox!