Bridging the digital divide:
Question 1:
Wherever you go in today’s world you are sure to see someone scrolling through pages
on their smartphone or doing something in daily life that requires an Internet connection.
The world around us is changing at a rapidly fast pace and technology has also had to
advance to keep up. A digital divide is dividing the population in such a way that some
can take advantage fully of opportunities in a digital economy, while others can’t. It’s a
question of who has access to the latest technologies (or ICT’s) and who doesn’t.
Below lists factors contributing to this gap in my order of priority:
• Poverty
• Social Inequality and Literacy
• Technological divide
• Lack of Infrastructure
• Content divide
• Gender divide
• Security divide
Question 2:
A.)Poverty
South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. Poverty is consistently
highest among black South Africans, the less educated, the unemployed, female-
headed households and large families. The cost of data makes it difficult for the poor to
gain access to information and internet connectivity. There are also great
inconsistencies with the cost of technology, eg. Pricing of smartphones compared to a
standard cellphone used to merely make a telephone call. Lowering data costs for all
and free WiFi zones will give more South Africans easily access to web content.
B.) Social Inequality and Literacy
At the secondary school level, students must be introduced to computers enabling them
to use a Web browser, performing searches and using e-mail. They should be taught
the components of a computer including the functionality of printing. This will enable
them at the tertiary education level to understand what various other application
software and database software is available including a word processor, spreadsheets
and presentations used in business.
M.Potgieter 831-326-1 Page 1
Question 1:
Wherever you go in today’s world you are sure to see someone scrolling through pages
on their smartphone or doing something in daily life that requires an Internet connection.
The world around us is changing at a rapidly fast pace and technology has also had to
advance to keep up. A digital divide is dividing the population in such a way that some
can take advantage fully of opportunities in a digital economy, while others can’t. It’s a
question of who has access to the latest technologies (or ICT’s) and who doesn’t.
Below lists factors contributing to this gap in my order of priority:
• Poverty
• Social Inequality and Literacy
• Technological divide
• Lack of Infrastructure
• Content divide
• Gender divide
• Security divide
Question 2:
A.)Poverty
South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. Poverty is consistently
highest among black South Africans, the less educated, the unemployed, female-
headed households and large families. The cost of data makes it difficult for the poor to
gain access to information and internet connectivity. There are also great
inconsistencies with the cost of technology, eg. Pricing of smartphones compared to a
standard cellphone used to merely make a telephone call. Lowering data costs for all
and free WiFi zones will give more South Africans easily access to web content.
B.) Social Inequality and Literacy
At the secondary school level, students must be introduced to computers enabling them
to use a Web browser, performing searches and using e-mail. They should be taught
the components of a computer including the functionality of printing. This will enable
them at the tertiary education level to understand what various other application
software and database software is available including a word processor, spreadsheets
and presentations used in business.
M.Potgieter 831-326-1 Page 1
