| The new economy offers infinite
opportunities for high-technology entrepreneurs, professionals,
and the digitally literate. But the socially and economically
disadvantaged aren’t plugged in. They’re on the other side
of the ‘digital divide’ – confined to the fringes of an increasingly
interconnected world community. Most people in the developing
countries and many in the richest nations are unable to participate
in the new economy.
The digital divide has
generated concern at the community, national and international
levels. Most governments and international aid agencies
view it as a serious problem, and they’re implementing programs
to improve the prospects of the digitally disenfranchised.
In a speech last fall
at a telecommunications conference in Geneva, Switzerland,
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan made the issues
clear. “People lack many things: jobs, shelter, food, health
care and drinkable water,” he said. “Today, being cut off
from basic telecommunications services is a hardship almost
as acute as these other deprivations, and may indeed reduce
the chances of finding remedies to them.” The UN has estimated
that while one in four people in the United States have
access to the Internet, only one in 1,000 have access in
sub-Saharan Africa and only one in 2,500 in Southeast Asia.
While North America has less than seven percent of the world’s
population it accounts for 55% of online users.
In addition to causing
governments concern, the digital divide has attracted attention
from individuals who have been influential in defining the
new economy, and who have benefited financially from its
roller coaster ride. Responding to the need, a number of
high-tech leaders have created service organizations that
are helping to transfer technology skills and knowledge
to the Third World, and to the disadvantaged within their
own countries.
Geekcorps is one of the
new aid organizations, formed to provide Internet know-how
to emerging nations. The non-profit organization was created
last February by Ethan Zuckerman, a 27-year old Internet
millionaire, who made his fortune as vice-president of research
and business development at Tripod.com, a successful Internet
start-up. Geekcorps is currently funded by Zuckerman and
by people like him who have done well in the new economy
and want to give something back.
A new-millennium version
of the Peace Corps, Geekcorps places its volunteers in small
and medium-sized businesses. While they are in the host
country, they help to install networks and implement Internet
applications, transferring knowledge to local people who
can take over once they’re gone.
Last month Geekcorps sent
its first contingent of six high-tech volunteers to Ghana.
In the future, teams will be sent to other nations in Africa,
Latin America and Asia. Zuckerman’s goal is to be working
in 10 to 15 countries within five years.
In the future, Zuckerman
says, a for-profit venture capital pool may be created to
provide financing for companies that have a winning idea
but little likelihood of obtaining the required funds. Supporters
of Geekcorps’ objectives could then choose whether to make
donations to fund the activities of the non-profit organization,
or to provide direct financial support to Third World businesses
through investments in the venture capital pool.
In Canada, the Federal
Government has created a similar organization with funding
from the Youth Employment Strategy. NetCorps Canada International
offers six-month internships to Canadian youth, to provide
technology assistance in the developing world. Participating
agencies include Canada World Youth, Alternatives, Canadian
Crossroads International, the Canadian Society for International
Health, CUSO, Human Rights Internet, Oxfam-Québec, VSO-Canada,
and the World University Service of Canada. The program
is administered in partnership with Industry Canada.
Other organizations have
been created to eliminate disparities closer to home. Even
in the world’s richest country the problem is immense. A
United States Department of Commerce report published in
1999 (“Falling Through the Net: A Report on Telecommunications
and the Information Technology Gap in America”), disclosed
that households with incomes over $75,000 are over 20 times
more likely to have access to the Internet than poor households.
The publisher of CIO,
an American high-tech trade magazine, founded Tech Corps
in the United States in 1995 to help overcome the domestic
digital divide. Since then, thousands of technology professionals
have volunteered to work in schools and communities throughout
the country. The goal is create a technologically literate
society with equal access for all.
The problem seems immense,
but Ethan Zuckerman and those who share his vision have
taken the first step – demonstrating that with their technology
skills and the motivation to help, the net-smart generation
can really make a difference.
RESOURCES:
Digital Divide Network
–
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org
Geekcorps –
http://www.geekcorps.org
NetCorps –
http://www.netcorps-cyberjeunes.org/english/main_e.htm
Tech Corps –
http://www.techcorps.org
United States National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (Digital
Divide Web Site) –
http://www.digitaldivide.gov
Yahoo News (Digital Divide)
–
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/Tech/Digital_Divide
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