Just thirty years after the internet became mainstream with the invention of the web browser, the digital revolution is now fully underway and our lives have been changed forever.
However, as is the case whenever progress occurs, the growth and development that this transformation has brought on has not been shared equally across society, and one example of this is the digital divide that exists between rural and urban populations.
Rapidly changing urban environments adapt more quickly, and receive more funding from both the private and public sector, allowing them to take advantage of new technologies more quickly, which leaves rural areas, and their populations, behind.
Of course, living far away from the city naturally disconnects people, forcing residents to rely on other technologies to maintain contact with the rest of society, but these solutions only work for those with means. Those without are forced into an even more difficult situation in which they risk being further subjugated both because of their economic status as well as geographic location.
Tackling this problem is important because, moving forward, digital societies will only survive when all the corners of society are connected, something that can be achieved if we pay attention to the following areas as they relate to the rural/urban digital divide.
Table of Contents
Access
At first glance, if you look at a map of internet coverage in the United States, it looks as though nearly everyone has an internet connection. However, when you zoom in and look at things more closely, the picture changes.
A good example of this is Colorado. Most residents can choose from many different internet service providers, which allows them to find the best broadband deal in their area rather easily.
But if we look at the details, this level of choice is really only available to people living in the densely-populated areas of the state, mainly the Denver metro area. Those living in more remote areas have fewer choices, or, in some cases, none at all.
All of this points to the first issue in closing the digital divide between urban and rural areas: infrastructure. In order to be able to serve those living far from cities, internet service providers (ISPs) need to make a considerable investment to install the infrastructure needed to bring these people online.
In most cases, though, ISPs are not all that interested in doing this as the cost of such a move tends to outweigh the benefits. As a result, governments and other institutions interested in closing this gap need to find a way to incentivize the construction of this infrastructure, or they need to begin investing in other technologies, such as satellite internet, so that these communities can be served with this all-important utility.
Competition
While it’s important to ensure these communities have access to the internet, it’s also necessary to go one step further and ensure there is competition in the market. It would not be unlike a large telecommunications company to move into an area with limited access, build the required infrastructure, and then charge exorbitant prices since residents in that area would have no other choice.
This means that these areas don’t need just one provider but many so as to create competition and help keep consumers from being swindled just because their living situation does not provide them with a lot of alternatives.
In instances where it’s difficult or impossible to get multiple providers operating in the same area, then regulation may be needed to ensure the companies that are providing access are doing so in an ethical way, and in such a manner that actually makes it easier for people to get online.
Literacy/Education
Lastly, to really close the digital divide, focusing on just access really isn’t enough. People also need to be equipped with the skills required for success in an internet-dominated world.
This means making classes and workshops available to people so that they can acquire basic digital literacy. And it also means providing job training in internet industries, such as WordPress development, as this will allow people to use their newfound access to find work and achieve the social mobility currently denied to them by a lack of internet access.
As a result, any effort to tackle the access and competition issues that exacerbate the digital divide also need to have an education and outreach component, otherwise the money and time spent improving infrastructure will do little to change the state of inequality in our digital society.
Moving Forward
This is not an issue society can afford to overlook. Ensuring that we all move forward together is an important aspect of a nation’s continued success, and as our world becomes more and more digital, addressing the technological inequalities that exist is paramount.
Of course, there are many other layers to the digital divide — such as the different access rates for the rich and the poor — but tackling any part of this problem requires keeping in mind access, competition, and literacy. Using such an approach will hopefully help close some of these gaps and allow this digital transformation to truly transform the world.
