Reader Response - Global Digital Divide [Draft 2]

In a Euromonitor blog post entitled "Global Digital Divide Persists But Is Narrowing" (2011), where according to trade sources, it is asserted that developed countries have a higher digital connectivity as compared to developing countries. However, the author claims that the future growth rate of internet accessibility in developing countries will be higher than developed countries. As a result of this trend, it has impacted the "economic, social, political and cultural" aspects of both developed and developing countries.

Personally, I am quite skeptical towards the conclusion the author has made regarding developing countries’ prospective growth rate in digital connectivity will be faster than developed countries. I feel that the author has over-generalised the situation as he considers all developing regions to be the same. To support his claim, he mentions that “Faster average annual growth in broadband subscribers has occurred in other major developing countries, for instance India (57.5%), Nigeria (181.4%) and Vietnam (100.0%).” Though these developing countries do exhibit trends of higher growth rate than developed countries, it is highly improbable to observe similar results occurring in all other developing countries.

Firstly, to gain access to the digital world, a country needs to construct the essential IT infrastructure. However, most developing countries lack the hefty funds needed to build them. This is because some developing countries are currently surviving on extremely low GDP per capita. According to the World Bank Group (n.d.), Afghanistan, a developing country located in South Asia, is only achieving a low GDP per capita of US$678 currently. Similar to Afghanistan, Bangladesh has only attained a GDP per capita of US$829. In contrast, USA, a modern developed country, has achieved a high GDP per capita of US$53,143. Thus, developed countries have ample funds to invest and widen their current IT network. On the other hand, with the country’s economy in jeopardy, it will be difficult for developing countries, such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh, to produce the funds required to shape the country’s IT infrastructure.

Secondly, even though basic IT infrastructure has been established in the country, the people living in the developing countries may not possess prior knowledge in using the newly acquired technology. For example, Wakefield (2010) has mentioned that there are concerns raised in Hungary over internet usage being too complicated for the Hungarian citizens to comprehend due to absence of “national e-inclusion policy” when the country started investing in fibre-optic cables infrastructure. As the IT technology may feel alien to the citizens living in the developing countries, it will take time and effort to educate them regarding usage of IT. Thus, this will stifle the growth of digital connectivity in the country.

Lastly, a breach in national security can also slow down the growth rate of digital connectivity. Unfortunately, wars and internal strife are common in developing countries located in certain parts of the world. For example, African developing countries, such as Mali and Mozambique, experienced internal conflicts in recent years. As the country will prioritize protecting itself first, funds will be directed to strengthen the country’s defences instead of improving citizen’s quality of life, such as provision of internet access. In worst case scenario, the amount of existing IT usage in the country can shrink due to destroyed IT infrastructure in the conflicts.

In conclusion, due to the situations that some developing countries are experiencing, these countries may face a formidable journey when attempting to achieve an increased amount of digital connectivity. Therefore, it is difficult to assume that all developing countries will attain faster growth rate in accessibility and usage of internet than developed countries.

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References

Global digital divide persists but is narrowing. (2011, February 11). Retrieved September 04, 2014, from http://blog.euromonitor.com/2011/02/global-digital-divide-persists-but-is-narrowing-1.html

Wakefield, J. (2010, March 19). World wakes up to digital divide. Retrieved September 05, 2014, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8568681.stm  

World Bank Group (n.d.). GDP per capita (current US$). Retrieved September 05, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/countries?display=default

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