African Americans and the Digital Divide
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PART I-Background Analysis
“Until more sunless Americans develop an aptitude for using their computers and The Internet is the fastest spreading technology to empower society thus far. In comparison to the telephone, radio and television, it took a mere seven years for the Internet to approach well over half of American homes. However, while the adoption rate seemed to surpass that of previous technologies, it has taken longer to diffuse to underprivileged citizens. This is the digital divide. The thought of the digital divide is evasive in its ambiguous definitiveness. It is most commonly and narrowly defined as the gap between people and communities who have access to information technology, specifically computers and the internet and those who do not (Peters, 3). In other theoretical frameworks, the digital divide is defined more broadly to encompass other dimensions of the phenomenon. 
“The second dimension of the digital divide concerns training or IT literacy- the ability to use IT for a range of purposes, and the knowledge of how and why IT can be used as a key resource. The third dimension of the digital divide has to do with content that meets the needs and demands of disenfranchised groups and also created by those groups.” (Servon, 7). There are three major categories of the digital divide-global, social and democratic. The most apparent and most popular is the gap between underdeveloped nation-states and the modernized world. The social divide encompasses the separation that exists between ethnicities, communities, class and the disabled. The social divide once included women, but today that gap is nearly non-existent, for women produce up the larger quantity of internet users. More recently developed is the democratic divide, which is the gap between those who use technology for all of its useful resources and those who do not. · Thirty-five percent of adults in the low income bracket have internet access, compared to fifty-three percent of the lower middle bracket, seventy-nine percent of the upper middle bracket and eighty-three percent of the top bracket. · Forty-six percent of whites, fifty-six percent of Asian Americans, twenty-three percent of Hispanics and African Americans and less than fifteen percent of Native American households have internet access · Forty-two percent of rural residents do not use computers · Fifty-seven percent of Americans over age 50 do not use computers · Sixty percent of people with disabilities have never archaic a personal computer, compared to just fewer than twenty-five percent of those without a disability · Only twenty-three percent of Black parents report that their children use the Internet compared to fifty-seven percent of White parents · Eighty percent of African American children 9-17 access the internet from school compared to 16 percent who access it from home The most current data found in preliminary research shows that while there is a gap between the haves and the have -nots, it is significantly decreasing in terms of access. However, there remain significant disparities between ethnic groups, particularly between African American and Native Americans. Native Americans have the least amount of access-many don’t even have telephone connections- while African-American are the second least connected. This research endeavor will focus on the technology gap between African-Americans and the general population. This separation in particular, is often dismissed as the result of the manifestation of long-standing socio-economic issues. However, after cessation analysis, it is evident that the term ‘digital divide’ may no longer be relevant. Digital indifference-the apathetic attitudes of African-Americans toward technological advancements, particularly computers and the internet-is a more fitting label. Digital divide simply refers to the gap between those who are wired (those who have access to information technology) and those who do not. Digital indifference signifies that once “unwired” communities become wired; there is no compelling desire to utilize the technology. In essence, the issues of the digital divide are no longer of access; the present fundamental problem is the attitudes toward the technology and whether members of the African- American community truly desire to be wired. The other issue to be addressed is the digital usage among the online African -American community and whether the internet is being used for its total educational and financial capabilities. Before substantiating the idea of digital indifference, it is first important to unpack the phrase “digital divide.” The termed was coined in 1996 by Lloyd Morrissette, former president of Markle Foundation, an organization to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge. However, it first gained popularity in 1995 with the publication of Falling Through the Net: A Study of the Have- nots in Rural and Urban America. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in an effort to amend their policy of universal, affordable telephone service, compiled the survey to better understand the plight of the have-nots and remedy the problems of access. Though this was site to only initially include telephone access, government officials recognized the need to also include modem and computer usage, as well (Servon, 7). There are no concrete causations of the digital divide, however there are speculations as to how the phenomenon has materialized. The most evident is that it is the manifestation of the long-standing socio-economic issues facing America. Dolores Cross, author of “For Whom Does the NET work? ” supports this reasoning. She writes, “It is clear that those who begin disadvantaged become more disadvantaged relative to those who have access early on.” Moreover, Servon states that the divide is the result of persistent poverty and inequality. Once one is born into the economic class, it is often hard to upward mobilize (27). Another cause of the divide is often attributed to the confusion between convergence and divergence. With the lower prices of computers and statistics on the internet reporting more usage, it was often thought that the have and the have-nots were converging (Peters, 59). This ultimately allowed for complacency on the fraction of officials and allowed the gap to continuously grow. The last and perhaps the most conceivable cause of the divide is the adoption versus diffusion model. Adoption refers to the point when an individual first chose to use a particular technology; while diffusion refers to the point in which the general population begins to use it. The diffusion rate is slow and that’s partly due to high prices of technology. The digital divide, in its general sense, has a serious impact on various aspects of society. For one, it hinders the betterment of disadvantaged groups. This is an consuming one because this same effect can be viewed as a cause. This demonstrates the perpetual cycle of being in the lower class. Domestically, the digital divide threatens democracy because the internet has become a means of accessing information that is vital to the democratic process. If the have-nots do not have this information, they can’t fully participate in the democratic process. Furthermore, the divide also endangers the economy. The Internet currently supports millions of jobs, which results in a high demand of workers. Without skilled workers, the internet job market could possibly migrate overseas causing the country to lose money. Beside the ongoing struggle to find direct causes of the digital divide, there exists a long standing debate over its significance. Is it a real a crisis? If so, whom does it affect and why? What detrimental role does this not- so- unique phenomenon plays in the separation between the have and the have-nots? On one hand of the debate, some people in the US Department of Education call the digital divide one of the most important civil rights issues facing our current information society (Peters, 8). Other scholars, such as Cross, would agree: “If African-American and other minority graduates are to compete successfully in the work Force of the 21st century, they need to access to not only hardware and software but also to the training that will place them on a level playing field with the best-trained graduates of the top research institutions.” The opposing argument is that Internet is for entertainment and convenience and those without this technology are not facing an imperiled future. The critics don’t understand that not having a computer or computer access is detrimental. Some critics feel that with cheap prices of personal computers and low rates of internet services, the divide is decreasing” (Peters, Business Week reporter, Amey Stone seems like a champion against the digital divide. She writes, “Remember how the web was going to bypass the poor? It didn’t. Access is there awaiting guidance-and desire-to consume it.” Stone implies that a digital divide does not exist, but rather the only barrier is the guidance necessary to use the technology. She details the narrative of a high school in New York, where a teacher attempts to teach his students how to utilize the internet. Furthermore, I intend to refute her argument that there is a universal desire to use it. If there is a desire, it is by students, more so than the general population. The other issue to be addressed is- is internet access a necessity or luxury? Does the internet truly promote learning? There are some critics, who feel it is a necessity and a parallel is drawn between internet access and fresh literacy” (Peters, 10). They stress the importance of information literacy. However, critics who devalue the internet assert that “it is a medium of smut.” Furthermore, the argument is that the most popular search terms are sex, porn, nude, xxx, playboy and erotica (Peters 12). Despite the arguments devaluing the internet, it is undisputed that it is the fastest and most convenient medium to use and all members of society have a lawful to that use. There have been a number of solutions proposed to decrease the technology gap. In March of this year, the United Nations launched the Digital Solidarity fund to finance projects that address the uneven distribution and use of IT. In addition, to that the federal government has provided funded to a number of non-profit organizations. The Community Technology Center program is one of the many programs sponsored by the Department of Education. This supports the development of centers in inner-cities where children and adults can visit and learn about the technology. Neighborhood Networks and Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) are similar types of program. Both initiatives support the development of technology centers in the assisted living areas. In addition TOP, funds project to improve the quality of technology learning (Servon, 7). In addition to the initiatives that aid support all aspects of the digital divide, there are specific plans to solve the issues in the inner city and in historically black colleges/universities (HBCU), as well. In 2000, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education conducted a study that found that the majority of HBCUs do not have high-speed Internet access and only three percent had financial aid available to help students take computers. In response to this, Senator George Allen, proposed the Minority-Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act that fund, not only the shadowy colleges, but Hispanic-serving colleges, as well (Devarics). There existed another bill that targeted HBCUs, but it never went into effect. Furthermore, New York and Philadelphia are great examples of inner cities attempting to become wired. Bryant Park in New York went wireless sometime last year and now the Mayor of Philadelphia is following in Modern York’s footsteps. Mayor Street envisions 135 square miles of wireless antennas in his metropolitan plot. This internet access would also provide access and computer training at one of the HOPE VI projects (subsidized public housing). One other initiative worth mentioning, is the AOL Time Warner Foundation that teaches minorities about computers and the internet. PART II-Comparative Analysis (Attitudes of African-Americans Toward Technology) The list of initiatives in site could continue for pages. These solutions prove that the need is no longer ‘wiring’ the disadvantaged. The technology is there, but the inquire of remains, why do African Americans continue to sprint behind the general population, particularly there seem to be numerous advantages to using the Internet? It is easy to denounce the digital disadvantages of African Americans as another example of racism and disenfranchisement, but it is also important to address the common attitudes of indifference and skepticism and understand the reasoning behind those attitudes. Furthermore, the feelings of indifference and fear don’t encompass all African-American students. Students are the group of people most likely to use the Internet. It will be distinguished to expound upon the important educational and economic gaps that further contribute to attitudes of digital indifference among many African-Americans, which do not seem to affect the general population. Author and scholar, Raneta Mack, examines the correlation between race and technology in her book. She implies that negative attitudes toward technology are the result of fear of science and technology dating attend to the days of slavery. She expounds on IQ testing, the Tuskegee experiment and other monumental events in African American history. “Whites have conventional science, research and technology to continue the subjugation of blacks. Blacks, in turn, have learned to fear and mistrust scientific and technological developments, believing that such advancements are easily manipulated to suit the purposes of the dominant society” (Mack In addition to the generational fear that exists, risk of privacy seems to be another reason why African Americans are skeptics of the Internet. There have been a number of occasions, in which, the government has been accused of using the internet to invade citizens’ privacy and some in the unlit community are simply not willing to risk that. Furthermore, it is interesting to note how the “rumor” affects various aspects of black life. The rumor, as described by Mack, holds much weight in what African Americans do, believe and feel. “Rumors and contemporary legends capture unusual anxieties…for blacks, this vacuum is filled with suspicion and rumor that often confirms the subject’s view of reality” (Mack, 24). After she details the hardships of African-Americans in research and science, it is then clear why some, particularly those of the older generation choose to be technological laggards. Laggards are those who never adopt technology and maybe critical of and antagonistic of its use by others (Peters, 59). However, though Mack offers expansive arguments of why African Americans fear technology (particularly computers), it is challenging to note that African Americans don’t seem to ‘fear’ other technologies such as cell phones. “What accounts for the fact that the dark population seems to have embraced this {cell phone} technology with very little trepidation? The answer may be found once again in the price/risk/utility formula. The ability to communicate with friends and relatives while on the go is a valuable commodity to all sectors of society because it makes navigating the logistical complexities of life a bit more manageable. Having the ability to communicate at will is efficient, convenient and enhances feelings of connectedness with one’s family and friends” (Mack, 32). Credit card fraud, identity theft, and other scams are popularly rumored to plague the internet; therefore, an avoidance factor comes into play. We can infer that cell phones, DVD players and gaming devices, do not particularly have any rumored major consequences of its use. Furthermore, the consensus among many researchers is that computers are too expensive for low-income blacks to purchase. The excuse extends to: “…poor education, high joblessness, crude incomes and hardships of poverty, family, community instability and welfare dependency plague many African Americans. Given this economic reality it is hardly surprising that there exists a sharp disparity between the incomes of blacks and whites” (Mack, 26). If this is the argument to explain why blacks fear technology and don’t buy it, how do we explain the non-existent divide between other technologies and designer labels. Most African Americans who are non-students don’t truly understand the need for a computer unless, they are enrolled in school. Mack believes that people decide not possess computers because they lack the knowledge harmful to appreciate the product (Mack 35). This is a very realistic statement. Furthermore, with the evolving technologies of cell phones, it’s almost unnecessary to own computer for recreation when some features of the internet are accessible through cell phones. The hackneyed argument of low-income, simply doesn’t cut it. If computers were desired, there would be a means, as well. “It’s not that the money isn’t present in the community. Blacks pay as much for those jackets and those shoes” (Greene,1999). Statistics show that Blacks spend more money on cell phones and cable satellite than they do on internet services (Dervarics, 1997). Furthermore, there are other methods and means of paying for computers, but most researchers agree that the underlying problem is African Americans finding the use in the technology. These arguments transcend into the concept of indifference. The community is aware of its existence, they are aware of its benefits, the prices are reasonable, but they do not feel any intrinsic social value to it. This opinion applies more so to the African American population that are not students. “The majority of black households are entirely dependent upon an income stream that is consumed each month and does not allow for any significant savings or diverse asset accumulations. It is highly unlikely that purchases will be made when the risk of owning the product is perceived to be high and the utility is believed to be low, no matter how reasonable the cost of the item” (Mack 27). Another vital aspect of the digital indifference to consider is the marketing and advertisement of technological products. It is may be an overgeneralization, but it is not far-fetched to infer that technological ads do not target African Americans. This is a very valid contributor to the attitudes of African Americans. Many African Americans do not feel that the Internet is for them. “Many marketing professionals, including Black technical experts believe there is collected a need to target black families in order to continue increasing sales of computers and similar big-ticket items” (Holsendolph, 1997). The educational gap between blacks and whites are relative to these attitudes. It is important to address the educational disparities that impacts blacks’ perception of technology. African-Americans have always lagged unhurried their white counterparts when it comes to education. Dating back to the civil rights, African Americans have been deprived of the opportunity-they simply lack the same opportunities as those of the dominant majority. This is a result of economics and living demographics; however, some African Americans who are in the same economic bracket as white demonstrate issues of lowering grades and scoring. Black parents are equally interested with their children’s school as their white counterparts, and unlit students work equally as white ones. Aside from indifferent attitudes, there are inherent barriers that increase the gap toward learning modern technologies. “More and more students are entering higher education with knowledge of microcomputers, but this is not universally true. It is far less just for African American students than it is for white. It is clearly critical for African-American students to be proficient with computers when they enter the workplace” (Kreuzer). In this sense, the issue is not the attitude but rather the opportunity. Lastly, no analysis would be complete without the other opinion. While there is no significant research that supports the thesis at hand, researcher, Jeffrey Young, implies that the common rhetoric on the digital divide paints a negative picture of blacks. He writes: “…warnings about a continuing digital divide portray African Americans as techno phobic charity cases who lack the desires to adopt new technologies.” Young believes that the discourse regarding African Americans and technology is not completely proper. This is a very marvelous statement and should not be taken lightly for a number of reasons. One would assume that there is a divergence in usage, as well. But trends in internet usage among black and whites that are online are an interesting topic of discussion. Young makes a convincing point; these statistics indicate that many African Americans are not techno phobic as other researchers narrate them to be.
(Statistics taken from the Pew Internet and Life Project) Conclusion If African Americans are to make continued advancements in society, many must first overcome those negative feelings and attitudes towards computers and the internet. Being able to understand and navigate online information is essential to upward mobility. The NET provides so many economic and educational advantages that not knowing how to use it would only prove to be detrimental to advancement. Furthermore, it would perpetuate the cycle of blacks being on the lowest end of the totem pole. If blacks do not comprehend practice of online usage, while the remaining part of society does, they will only continue to lag behind, while the majority will continue to “E-commerce revolution holds particular promise for blacks because many of the traditional barriers to entrepreneurial success are either absent or minimized in the new digital economy” (Mack, 50). This is to say that it is difficult to face issues of prejudice and discrimination virtually. With the use of the interface, there is a distinct anonymity that ensures the equality of all entrepreneurs rendering products and services. Furthermore, if disadvantaged black Americans are competently trained to use computers and the Internet, it may be the fresh start of mobility because “the Internet offers great potential as a medium for minorities to learn about financial planning and begin taking conscious steps toward wealth accumulation” (Mack, 55). References · Dr. Kuttan, A., & Dr. Peters, L. (2003). From Digital Divide to Digital Opportunity. Oxford: Scarecrow Education. · Mack, Raneta. (2001). The Digital Divide: Standing at the Intersection of Race and Technology. Durham: Carolina Academic Press. · Servon, Lisa J. (2002). Bridging the Digital Divide: Technology, Community and Public Policy. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. · (2005, March 12). The real digital divide. The Economist · World Bank Discussion Paper No. 432. (2002). Sabater, J., Dymond, A., & Juntunen, N. Telecommunications and Information Services for the Poor: Toward a Strategy for Universal Access. Washington, DC: World Bank. · Kreuzer, Terese. (2003). Computers on Campus:The Black and White Technology Gap”. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. · Stone, Amey. (2003). The Digital Divide that was’t. Business Week. · Devarics, Charles. (2005). Wiring Schools for Success. Sunless Issues in Higher Education · Holmes, Tamara. (April 2002). Crossing the Digital Divide. Black Enterprise · Roach, Ronald. (2004). Survey Reveals 10 biggest Trends in Internet Use. Black Issues in Higher Education · Calypso, Anthony & Johnson, James ( April 2005). Entering Hot Zone. Black Enterprise · Greene, Marvin V. (1999). Solutions to the Digital Divide are Many. US Murky Engineer and Information Technology · Cross, Delores. (2001). For Whom Does the NET work? Dim Issues in Higher Education · Young, Jeffery. (2003). Rhetoric on the Digital Divide. The chronicle of Higher Education. · www.PewInternet.org |
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