The Digital Divide: a Global Phenomenon

Don P. Jason III
Dj320306@ohio.edu

I have begun to research the digital divide on a world-wide level and not solely in America. In a case study titled “The Role of Community Based Telecenters in Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural Malaysia”, I learned that In Malaysia, the number of people with a dial-up internet access made up 14.3% of the population in 2007, an increase from 2000 when only 7% of the population had access to dial-up internet. In the same time frame the number of people with broadband access jumped from .08% to 5%. The increase in broadband access is more significant in terms of allowing the population to access to many ITC applications.

“The uneven distribution of the basic “info structure” such as a fixed telephone lines or internet connections between the urban and rural area; the cost to be connected to the internet , is still considered to be high by its rural population, as had been reflected by their low ‘Willingness-to-Pay’ p. 352)” However, I don’t agree with the case study. Maybe these people don’t have a low “Willingness-to-Pay,” maybe they can’t afford to pay or maybe they can’t see how the internet will benefit someone from a rural third-world country.

This case study did not only state a problem it tlaks about a solution. It tlaks about how telecenbters were brought to rural Malaysia to teach the residents all about new technology.

Malaysia has a vision 2020, which strives to use ICT applications in every citizen’s life daily. The government hopes that once this occurs Malaysia will be ranked as a developed country. I feel that instead of only allowing a few people to get broadband, Malaysia should make the sacrifice and give everyone in the country, dial-up, so that every citizen can at lease have some sort of internet access. As in America, the governemnt needs to put the needs of the people before its needs to save face with other countries ande members of the global community