1. The digital divide and its consequences
Karlstad University
Media, Technology and Culture
Spring term 2010

2. How big is the digital divide?
Sept – 25,6% of the world population has acces to internet
Digital divide – internet innequality
Access to communications

7. Why is it important to have access to ICTs?
Economic benefits
Citizenship

8. 1. Economic benefits Information economy
Prevent the growth of an obsolete labour-force.
Need to be linked to the ”global network”
Global economy is based on information, information economy, it is thus crucial to have access to information and to have a well functioning communication infra-structure.

9. 2. Citizenship
Education
Professional training
Information

10. Internet-based global system
Networking logic
Profit-making logic
Only who/what has a value is linked to the network
”Fragmentation of societies and institutions, in parallel with the dynamic networking of valuable firms, triumphant individuals, and surviving organizations.

11. Uneven development Induced by new techno-economic system
Increase of both wealth and poverty
Different effects in different areas of the world and different social groups

12. The dark side of technological development
”In the wake of crisis, and with large segments of the population unable to participate in the productive, competitive sector of the economy, some try a new form of globalization: the global criminal economy, made up of transnational networks engaging in any kind of illicit trade that could yeld a profit – often with the help of the internet – and practicing eletronic money-laundering in the financial markets.”
Castells 2003:267-8

13. The State in the networked society
Pressure from markets, international bodies
Small margin of maneuver
Crisis of legitimacy
Lost of trust
The weakening of political institutions diminishes the abilities of societies to adjust and correct the negative shocks induced by the transition to a new techno-economic system, thus amplifying these shocks.
Crisis of legitimacy, political disintegration – civil unrest: Africa, Colombia.

14. Marginalization
”Discarded elements” in the global economy have local power.
Elites use their power to gain access and participation in the globalized network
Marginalized people have to create survival strategies.
Internet is not just a technology, it is the technological tool and organizational form that distributes information power, knowledge generation, and networked capacity in all realms of activity.

15. Who are the internet have-nots?
Global South, developing countries
Low income
Low education levels
Elderly
Women
Ethnic minorities
Children in different income groups

16. ICTs and development Health, water, eletricity, education OR internet?
Is access to internet and communications going to solve the problem?

17. ICTs and development
Content
Language
Interests

18. Digital Inclusion Access to internet Knowledge and skills to use it
Power to change it
Digital iliteracy

19. Digital Inclusion – Social Exclusion
What does it mean to be socially excluded?
Enpowerment
Productions of own discourses and narratives, oral history.
Literacy, ability to exercise the citizenship, enjoy citizen rights fulfill duties.

20. Video

21. Questions
Who is best suited to carry-out digital inclusion programs? State? NGOs? Social Entrepeneurs
Can digital inclusion change media representations of marginalized and minority groups?
Can digital inclusion contribute to a more balanced flow of cultural products? How?