13. The Advantages Gap

Without intervention, the information marketplace will widen the gaps between rich and poor countries and people.

• For example, private companies might "pitch in," both to help, and to keep gov. regulation off their backs.
  
• Keep in mind: private companies also have "market-based" motivations for increasing access, esp. access that is through them. The more users of their products and services, the more $ they can make.
• in the US, public libraries help close the divide
  • [we might note, though: when debating the divide, folks who say there isn't one tend to count libraries and their computer stations in the equation. Do you consider being able to use a computer at the library adequate access for a person? How many people would you count as "having access" if their only resource was the local public library?]
  • "FCC data fails to count 21 million people without broadband, study finds"
    https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/fcc-data-fails-to-count-21-million-people-without-broadband-study-finds/

Haves and have-nots might get a better look at each other. These views may further widen, or may help narrow, the divides.

Due to recording date(s), statistics given in the lecture are no longer current.

Please refer to the statistics in the Congressional Research Service Report from 2021.

-"The Digital Divide: What Is It, Where Is It, and Federal Assistance Programs."
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46613

ALSO:
-Digital Divide Interactive Map
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8ad45c48ba5c43d8ad36240ff0ea0dc7

There isn't a "single" divide (never really was, though "access" was the focus." Sometimes the divides are by industry or segment.

"The Real Digital Divide Isn’t About Access to the Internet"
https://www.aei.org/articles/the-real-digital-divide-isnt-about-access-to-the-internet/

One of the major risks is that we will end up with electronic resources and services that cater only to the wealthy, those who can provide ROI to technology providers, such that we get a bifurcated new media environment--yet another divide.

A second major risk is that we have a new divide: Infoglut, in which so much information/data (about us) is available that the only people who can make sense of it have (1) access to enormous databases and (2) access to enormous computing resources to process the data.

• What are the top "advantages gap" risks in the U. S. today?
• What are the top "advantages gap" risks on the international scene today?
• What happens when American enterprise gets deeply involved?
• What are the relationships between monopolistic business practices in the communications industries and advantages gaps?
• Which monopolistic business practices in the communications industries currently appear ripe for anti-trust action and how might the advantages gaps be changed as a result?

Americans with Disabilities Act: "Website Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA."
https://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm

"Domino Pizza's Website Violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)-Robles v. Domino's."
https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2021/06/domino-pizzas-website-violated-the-americans-with-disabilities-act-ada-robes-v-dominos.htm

Concept 13 Analysis article:

“Regulating the Digital Divide."
<https://www.theregreview.org/2022/07/09/saturday-seminar-regulating-the-digital-divide/>

Want to learn more?

World InequityLab Report:
https://wir2018.wid.world/files/download/wir2018-summary-english.pdf

PEW Internet/Broadband fact sheet
http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/