The term “digital divide” emerged in the 1990s in the United States to describe observed inequalities of access, initially, to computers and later to the Internet, information, and other digital technologies. Originally defined as the gap between those who have physical access to technology and those who do not, over time a more nuanced picture of the digital divide has emerged. Other factors such as motivation to use and technology skills, intention to use, and social support available vary among populations and are collectively referred to as the second-level divide. Recently, a third-level divide related to outcomes of using the Internet has emerged. A variety of sociodemographic factors have been identified across a multitude of national and cross-national studies that determine which groups are more likely to be on the wrong side of the access, use, and outcomes divides. These sociodemographic factors include: age, income, education, employment status, and geographical location (i.e., urban/rural). Other terms such as digital inclusion/exclusion and digital capital are increasingly used to highlight how sociodemographic factors related to digitally disadvantaged groups tend to reflect existing societal inequities. Over the two decades in which research about the digital divide has been undertaken, studies have shown that the divide is narrowing in terms of access but deepening, when considering use and outcomes of use, in countries where availability of digital technologies is near ubiquitous. Research in the last decade or so has identified various user groups whose characteristics sit on a spectrum from non-use to expert use. Digital divide theories are also emerging and large datasets across multiple countries are now being used to test such theories. It is also evident from recent research that the digital divide is not a static entity but is changing as a result of increasing use of digital devices, complexities of use, and socio-contextual factors. Research focused on initiatives that attempt to address digital divide issues demonstrates that there is no “one size fits all” solution and governments, in particular, play a central role in ensuring that technology infrastructure investment and development occurs to ensure the benefits of technological use are spread throughout society.
Digital Divide among Public Servants in Malaysia : Urban-Rural Differences in Valuing the Use of the Internet