THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND CONSUMPTION PATTERNS

Objective: How do American technology consumption patterns affect people and the planet?

Cartograms
Cartograms are used to compare numerical data about different places. The larger an item is the larger it will

appear.
What do you notice about the digital divide cartogram?

Digital Divide Cartogram

Digital Divide and Consumption

Digital Divide is the gap between people with access to computers and the Internet and those By 2003 six of every 100 Chinese and less than two of 100 people in India own computers

without access. Consumption is the using up of goods or services.

Americans make up around five percent of the worlds population but use up about 20% of its goods such as oil and technologies.

Consumption and the Divide

The average American

spends thousands of dollars a year on personal consumption on this such as food, services and technology American consumption drives up worldwide prices of many things like petroleum based products and/or technologies increasing digital divide!

Digital Divide History

In the beginning the people who had

telephone access and those who did not were divided. In 1995 the Commerce Department investigated the digital divide finding racial, economic and geographic gaps in those who could get on the internet and those who could not. In the last decade the digital divide has evolved to describe the differences between those with quality high speed wireless and second class wireless limiting such things as online classes and working from home (telecommunicating).

Developed vs. Developing

Developed Countries are wealthy with an advanced economy in which citizens enjoy high living standards Developing Countries are poorer with less advanced economies with lower living standards with low

and high gross domestic products.

gross domestic products.

Computer and Internet Use

Technology
Technology is the creation

Internet Use
Internet Use and G.D.P. are

and use of tools to meet practical needs. Most people in developing countries are limited to cheap and simple technologies. People in developed countries have access to advanced technologies such as computers and the internet which increase digital divide.

closely related as business and government both use the internet to store and manage information. Computers and the Internet were invented in the U.S. and by 2005 75% of Americans reported using both in their homes!

Digital Divide in the Future

Homes with quality

wireless internet are becoming targets to new technologies and will enhance their lives by.
Enabling people to

Millions with no internet

connection or those who try to substitute with smart phone connections will be excluded from..
Online job applications and

conference with doctors online lowering health care bills and enhancing care. Increased use of digital higher education though real time video conference. Smart Homes will reduce wasted energy through smart grid connections.

possible online job interviews (saves time and money). Even lower quality health care. Entertainment opportunities. Limited higher education opportunities.

Monopolies Increase Divide

Most phone/cable companies hold a

monopolies on the physical cables used to provide internet and are very regionalized. Government internet regulations destroyed competition allowing to set their own prices causing the government to subsidize or pay money to the company to lower costs. The cheap substitute fiber-opits are met with resistance by American law makers while other countries like Japan leap forward.

internet fo Web History

Digital Divide Effects All

In the future African Americans and

Latino American are at the greatest risk of being behind in the internet revolution which will be half of the American work force. If American wants to stay competitive in the global economy we need to create high speed internet at affordable prices for all Americans.

Bibliography

From "The Politics of Web Space" (PDF) by Richard Rogers.

www.govcom.org/publications/full_list/rogers_politics_web... Figure One: Digital Divide Cartogram, WSIS Tunisia Series, Govcom.org, 2005.

Geography Alive Regions and People

Hart Diane/Teachers Curriculum Institute Copyright 2006 T.C.I. (Digital Divide and Consumptions Patterns)