Ethical+Issues

Ethical issues include topics such as safety and security and digital divide. On this page, I will discuss digital divide.
= = =Digital Divide=

Digital Divide is the difference between the people who have technology and can use it everyday versus the people who do not have this resource available to them. The difference in technology use is commonly referred to as the “have” and the “have nots”.

The following statistics are representative of the American population. In doing research, I found that 74% of total adults use computers. I also found that 93% of these users are between the ages of 18 and 29, 81% between 30 and 49, 70% between 50 and 64, and the lowest percentage of Internet users is about 38%. Additionally, I learned that the suburban communities use the Internet at 77%. (Heyboer)
 * **Gender** – there seems to be an identical use of technology between men and women, however there is still a gender divide. Although I did not find recent and current statistics to support the divide, I did find the following quote: “when we talk about the gender divide we are recognizing a fundamental obstacle to development in our countries. Without access to information and knowledge, women, who are the majority of the population are at risk of permanent economic backwardness, which in turn makes our countries poor” (Conversations for a better world).
 * **Race**
 * § White: 76%
 * § Black: 70%
 * § Hispanic: 64%
 * **Socioeconomic**
 * § Less than $30,000: 60%
 * § $30,000-$49,999: 76%
 * § $50,000-$74,999: 83%
 * § $75,000+: 94%
 * Statistics received from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project

The following are statistics from **Maryland**.
 * 78% of households in Maryland earning less than $15000 per year do not own a computer compared to 34% of all Maryland households and 38% of all households nationally
 * o 81% of households in Maryland earning less than $15000 per year do not use the Internet at home compared to 41% of all Maryland households


 * Statistics received from Digital Opportunity for Maryland's Youth: Fact Sheet

The following are statistics from **around the world.**
 * o There are still 30 countries with an Internet penetration of less than 1%
 * o Africa has an average of 3 fixed lines per 100 people
 * o Africa has its own digital divide. “Almost three quarters of all Africa’s fixed lines are found in just 6 of the continents 55 countries”.
 * o Asia has the most digital divide. “Internet penetration ranges below 1% in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia and Lao”
 * o Russia has its own digital divide “with the vast majority of subscribers located in large urban centres.
 * Statistics found on “World Summit”

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To help students overcome the digital divide, teachers can:
 * 1) Can encourage/promote social mobility.
 * 2) Show appropriate practices for technology in the school so that it can be seen more frequently in the home, regardless of SES. (social economic status)
 * 3) Fundraise to get technology in a better state around the world
 * 4) Have students to come up with ways to promote technology in countries that are less fortunate.
 * 5) Research the reasons why there is a digital divide
 * 6) Can promote gender equality by introducing technology uses for males and females.