In general, the digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to the internet and those who do not. However, this is not entirely accurate. There are a lot of communities that have adequate access to the internet, but do not have the digital literacy* skills to properly utilize this access. Some factors that affect the access to the internet include affordability, availability, quality, and interest.
These digital divides can lead to many disadvantages for those living in the aforementioned communities. The first of these negative effects is isolation due to the lack of communication with other communities. Many remote areas who do not have access to proper technologies will be isolated from their surrounding communities. Without reliable internet access, it is difficult to receive updates about the current state of the world. In addition, a lack of digital literacy can lead to learning misinformation, which can be incredibly dangerous in emergency situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, lack of access or digital literacy can provide an immense barrier to quality education. Lack of internet access hinders school-age children from obtaining the educational benefits of the internet, such as scholarly databases and online learning, which has been incredibly detrimental during the COVID-19 pandemic. Third, the digital divide accentuates social differences by making it more difficult to obtain a quality education and find a good job. Lastly, the digital divide affects women disproportionately more than men, leading to deepened gender inequalities.
While it is not possible to combat access to digital technologies by creating a piece of digital technology, it is possible to help those with access to the internet learn how to utilize it to work for their needs.
* Digital literacy refers to the ability to use digital technologies to find, evaluate, and communicate information