The Digital Divide Lecture Notes

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the definitions, causes, effects, and reduction strategies of the digital divide as described in the lecture.

Digital Divide

The gap between people who are able to access modern technology and information and those with restricted or no access.

Global Digital Divide

The inequalities in technology access and skills between different countries or regions.

Infrastructure

The hardware, software, and equipment used to provide IT services, such as electrical cables, fibre optic cables, and mobile phone masts.

MEDCs

More economically developed countries, which typically have more technology due to their greater wealth.

Fear of IT

A cause of the digital divide involving lack of education or age-related apprehension towards learning sophisticated, changing technology.

Broadband Speed Factors

Influences including distance from the phone exchange, the level of technology at the exchange, and competition among providers.

Uneducated Group

Individuals without many educational qualifications who may lack the income for technology or fail to see its importance in daily life.

Socioeconomic Groups

Levels of society with differing disposable incomes which impact the ability to afford high-cost new equipment and stable internet.

Telecommunication Bandwidth Distribution

A global inequality where the majority of installed bandwidth is spread among a tiny number of countries.

Health-based Websites

Online resources providing medication details, reminders, and instant advice for minor illnesses, often inaccessible to those in the digital divide.

Online Booking Systems

Systems for tickets or reservations that often offer cheaper deals or exclusive access, disadvantageous to those without internet.

Digital Literacy Courses

Educational programs aimed at improving digital skills to increase employability, social inclusion, and general well-being.

Power Line Communication (PLC)

Also known as BPL, it allows data to be carried through power cables to households at the same time as electricity.

Cyber Cafes

Facilities created in rural areas to provide internet access to those who have no or poor access at home.

Satellite Technology

A method of broadband delivery available everywhere, although it is often more expensive, slower, and affected by bad weather.

Mobile Phone Broadband

Wireless broadband requiring proximity to a smartphone, with speeds dependent on the quantity of towers in the area.