NineShifter Paul Lucas of Butler, PA, wrote Julie Coates and said he has not heard much about the "digital divide" in the last few years. Here is her response:
Here is what NineShift has to say about the digital divide. We think that mobile technology including smart phones and tablets will go a long way toward erasing any digital divide. Even people in remote villages in Africa use mobile phones to conduct business, do their banking and access the Internet. In the US, according to PEW research, 77% of adults aged 18-30 with incomes under 30,000 own a smart phone.
That said, we believe there will always be a human divide. There will always be a segment of the population that is less educated and less likely to desire education than other segments. This segment will also use smartphones, but will use them differently than more educated or affluent segments.
Overall, access to digital technology has the potential to provide more universal access to information, but people will still choose the information that is of greatest interest.
Thanks Paul for your question and interest!
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