The Internet

According to the Federal Networking Council, the Internet is defined as a global networking system that “is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the Internet Protocol (IP) or its subsequent extensions, is able to support communications using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite or its subsequent extensions, and/or other IP-compatible protocols, and provides, uses or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services layered on the communications and related infrastructure described herein(Internet).” The Internet has not only become a valuable resource for producers and consumers, but it opened the door to millions of possibilities that no one ever had expected; however, to make the most of it one must have some type of access. Internet access is the physical availability, affordability, and usability of the Internet, incorporating many factors such as training, upgrading, and maintenance costs. While the world is at one’s fingertips with the World Wide Web, unfortunately, only about one in four people in the world have any type of Internet access.

The gap in Internet access is statistically responsive to age, race, income, and education; limiting billions of people around the world. The physical availability is determined more by region and income because it depends on whether there is phone lines and running electricity able to support a computer or internet device that is necessary to use the Internet. Usability is a big factor among disabled and older people because the necessary training and maintenance do not motivate older generations to learn the new technology. While the internet does give more opportunities for disabled and retired people to work and be in contact with the world more easily, it is also difficult for them to get comfortable with the system and get adequate training. The digital divide among Internet access is starting to narrow in North America, 42 percent of all homes as of 2001; however, even among the highly developed countries there are significant differences in the availability of in home Internet access. While almost a third of those not online have chosen to do so, there is a notable gap among income levels and race. Only 23 percent of Blacks and Hispanics are connected while 46 percent of Whites and 56 percent of Asian Americans are online; and only 12.5 percent of Americans that earn 15,000 dollars per year or less are connected online compared to 86 percent of households that earn 75,000 dollars and above.

Many argue that the digital divide is actually tapering because the percentage of people with access to electricity and phone lines is increasing; however, the computer and online differences are gradually growing as technology improves. No one expected the boom in technology discovery and innovation over the last couple decades and people believe that the possibilities for expansion are becoming limited; eventually causing prices to drop and giving many more people the opportunity to share the benefits. However; though technology improvement may slow and the income factor may be less important as prices drop, the technology gap will continue to persist until programs are developed to train, motivate, and spread the opportunity of computers around the world.