a) To socioeconomically related access issues within a society?
With everything rapidly going online it has to be asked what will happen to the ‘digital divide’ and will it get wider. In terms of ‘lower income families’ not affording internet access, there are arguments to say that there are ways around this ‘divide’, Brady (2000) would say that “even lower income families could find a way to get wired if they viewed it as a high enough priority.” However, in counter argument this could be seen as a view from someone who does have new media access, and therefore takes it for granted possibly?
“Of those over 65 years of age, only 7% have ever accessed the internet. Of the poorest 10% of the United Kingdom's population, only 12% have ever accessed the internet.” (Wong) the validity of this quote may be questioned, (it was taken out of a different context – one regarding internet and health) but I think the percentages do highlights how the internet can be seen as marginalising parts of the digital divide.
However, could it still be said that these ‘marginalised’ divides don’t necessarily want to use the internet… as we’ve all looked into ‘digital immigrants’ it was found commonly that older generations didn’t want to access the internet, but with society being constantly directed towards using the internet as an internet alternative, will people be able to neglect the internet for much longer? Will they succumb to an online world and become adapted to technology, or will the digital divide become even more so divided?
Should techno-determinism take hold again and accommodate the internet minorities who are unable to access the internet as apposed to society determining technology for the majority?
http://www.swetswise.com/FullTextProxy/swproxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnms.sagepub.com%2Fcgi%2Freprint%2F10%2F2%2F295.pdf%3Fxdata 3D212219220116&ts=1237984389663&cs=693993184&userName=5845157.ipdirect&emCondId=5845157&articleID=36253616&yevoID=2224839&titleID=144954&referer=1&remoteAddr=212.219.220.116&hostType=PRO
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/328/7449/1200-b (Wong)
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This may seem a little off answer, but education has possibly something to do with people being marginalised. A majority of the elderly probably cannot comprehend what the likes of the Internet can do as they have not had the facilities for most of their lives. Some lower-income families and the poor may not realise they can gain access at internet cafes or libraries (sometimes for free) or even know where to find one.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, you could be right, some people want to remain neo-luddites. I cannot help thinking that they may feel this way because they either have never tried or just don't understand how to use certain technology properly.
The problem with any comments we make on here though, is that they will be un-intentionally biased as we are a generation who take digital technology for granted.
Yes, because we've never been without technology!
ReplyDeleteAlthough a digital divide is apparent in terms of limited access, at least in terms with education students are able to have access though schools!
Thirdly, it must be quite intimidating to try and comprehend all that technology enables us to do these days, yet for some older generations it can benifit them if they have the knowledge i.e. online shopping to help them out etc.
I'm not sure about technodeterminism "taking hold" as a solution.
ReplyDeleteTechnodeterminism is usually a cloak for certain social forces who are promoting technological developments and who wish to silence critics of the unfettered social impact this has.