This paper attempts to redress the issues of broadband adoption and digital content consumption and provides detailed analysis on the factors that influence them, and rejection determinants in a developing country like Pakistan.
The digital divide is a rift between those who, for technical, political, social, or economic reasons, have access and capabilities to use ICT/Internet, and those who do not. Various views have been put forward about the size and relevance of the digital divide.
Digital divide(s) exist at different levels: within countries and between countries; between rural and urban populations; between the old and the young; as well as between men and women. Digital divides are not independent phenomena. They reflect existing broad socio-economic inequalities in education, health care, capital, shelter, employment, clean water, and food. This was clearly stated by the G8 DOT Force (Digital Opportunity Task Force):
There is no dichotomy between the digital divide and the broader social and economic divides which the development process should address; the digital divide needs to be understood and addressed in the context of these broader divides.
This paper comes on the eve of the millennium development goals deadline of 2015 which acknowledges ICT as the enabler for speeding towards the finish line. The quest is to explore whether we are all speeding towards a clearly defined goal, given our varied capacities and affinities.