This week’s topic was extremely broad and related to social media ethics, from where I chose to focus my discussion on the digital divide. I had come across the concept of the digital divide before in my studies; however, I was intrigued to look further into its effect on the use of social media in education or business. This is such a significant and continuous ethical issue today.
Clayton made a very positive comment on my own post, stating that he too had chosen to focus on the digital divide. Therefore, this intrigued me to read his opinions on the topic. He made a really good point of breaking down the term digital divide into global, social and democratic. I, myself, only conceptualized the global digital divide, so this was truly informative. The democratic divide, the distinction between those who do and don’t use the resources available, really shows that education and skills relating to technology are major causal factors towards the overall divide.
Clayton had agreed with my discoveries that there are more reasons for the divide than the inability to afford the technology, such as a fear of technology. However, Emma’s comment on my own post questioned whether this was a legitimate reason. I believe if people are uneducated about the benefits of using technology they have the fear to invest their time and money into something they currently live without. Nevertheless, I do believe it is a less significant causal factor of the digital divide.
Richard posted a really insightful video, which I had not come across in my own research, where Camara charity and Dell had developed a solution to help and bridge the gap. They have begun to donate computers to developing countries whilst educating them in use and in how to dispose of them sustainably. This solution really focuses on all of the reasons for the digital divide: accessibility, cost, lack of skills and education.
Overall, I believe throughout this week I have discovered a more in depth knowledge of the digital divide as a whole and it has opened my eyes to how dependent I am on technology and social media for my educational purposes. I truly can admit I would be lost without it and it is astonishing how many people are still not connected. We need to increase our efforts to allow all countries to be globally connected through technology!
My Comments:
Richard Dalton – The digital divide – a significant barrier to education through social media
Clayton Jones – Topic Four: The Digital Divide – Social Media Ethics
Alice Brown 