Economic and social impact of the divide

Bridging the gap of the digital divide would have benefits for the rest of the developed world as it is a powerful force that can harness the global search for world peace and development. It could mean that the differences between more economically developed countries and less economically countries gets smaller with the income into both countries becoming more similar and therefore the gap closing.

There are great benefits to the poorer nations as it is bringing people together and there technology is advancing, but the gaps between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' is widening and the very poor nations are being left behind as there is no way that they can be developed to the standards of other countries of whom are becoming knowledge-based global economies.

In 1999 Bill Clinton held a confrence in order to argue that the internet was the key to wealth around the world. He claimed that reducing the size of the digital divide would reduce poverty in the world.

Digital technologies can be used to help people overcome problems and barriers that they made be facing. They are able to achieve things in order to make themselves more successful. Each individual person that has access to electronic media contriutes to closing the gap. Examples of ways which it can help include:-

• the unemplyed being able to use the interent to help find work and generally have more access.
• people and business in rural places being able to communicate with people further away to shops for example.
• the elderly and infrim with restricted mobility being able to get a great deal out of things such as shopping, banking and contacting others.