Faculty Responses to the Digital Divide
Prof. Biddick | Prof. Hachen | Prof. Barry
Prof. Biddick
Understanding your background in the Net group, can we assume that you believe the Internet is a revolutionary tool?
It is still too early to know what the political implications of the Internet are. It would be like predicting a film like "Finding Nemo" in 1900 when early cinema was just unfolding. I suspect that the Internet could get very conservative very fast however.
If it is indeed revolutionary, does that mean all members in a democracy should have access to the Net?
I think anyone who wants access to the NET whether they be in North Korea or South Africa should have it if they want. It should be treated like a utility--water, light, sanitation.
What is the feasibility of providing the Internet to all of these people?
I think connectivity (which makes the Internet possible) is rapidly
transforming and that India and China will lead the way with hitherto
unimagined forms of connectivity. In other words, the American model is
already terribly old-fashioned.
Who should take on the responsibility of providing this service?
Connectivity is nomadic and cobbled together. I like the model of piggybacking--the big regulators such as (FCC in usa--OfCom in Great Britain-) they worry about the allocation of bandwidth--that resource will become scarcer than petroleum (or is already scarcer).
Do you think the Digital Divide, the gap that exists
between those who have and those who do not have access
to technology (telephones, computers, Internet access)
and related services, is hype?
The question of the digital divide is being rethought as one of digital diversity-- I think it needs careful critical attention.
Are there bigger problems we should be addressing in
both domestic and international democracies?
I think the Internet is an embedded technology with cultural practices--so that it is the cultural practices around technological infrastructures that are big problems and touch on everything from justice to compassion.
Is equality of opportunity to technology necessary to
democracy?
Justice is necessary to democracy--what would a just technological
infrastructure look like?
Should it be or is it already required for all people to possess technological skills in today's society with the growing use of the Net to pay bills online etc.?
Beware of digital totalitarianism! The whole story of Empire and Writing technologies of the colonial period is the cautionary tale that we need to remind ourselves of when we talk about new digital literacies.
How do we close the gap for older generations who
grew up without this technology? What about those in the
US who cannot afford it? What about international
democracies?
There was a recent article in the NYTIMES that talked about a spike in retiree (for example an 88 year old woman who set up her own computer and connected it to the internet) adoption of internet technologies. Old folks are getting heavily targeted by internet service providers and the computer industry. There is a rich world of communication going on with SMS messages on mobile phones etc that is not INTERNET based. Again the US is so involved in computer based internet connectivity that is missing a whole nomad world existing around it.
