There is no doubt that in most Western countries having a computer and an internet connection is no longer considered an option for the privileged or wealthy. In fact it access to the internet has sometimes been considered a human right which perhaps has more resonance in countries like Iran or Syria who control and monitor internet gateways.
The problem is that even in the most advanced countries the cost of maintain an internet connection is not cheap. Many families on low incomes or welfare benefits are unable to afford these charges and so are locked out of this electronic world. Now in many countries this might not seem such a problem after all having a home, place to sleep and food to eat are the priorities. The problem is that internet access is almost presumed – if you look at children’s homework there is often a large component online. In my son’s school all homework tasks can be downloaded from the internet and the completed tasks uploaded directly to their teachers.
This of course puts children who don’t have access at a huge disadvantage, relying on libraries and friends to even complete their homework. It’s kind of sad that probably the greatest educational resource of the last century is actually creating an educational under class based on wealth.
If you travel abroad and see where economic inequalities are even larger then the results are even more profound. As an extreme example I saw some children in Turkey whose parents were expats had a huge advantage over local children. They had access to the internet at home and some parents had even invested in proxy software to allow them access to content that was normally blocked or filtered. They’d do their homework on the internet then watch UK TV from the BBC afterwards!
We must all be vigilant that the internet doesn’t become yet another economic advantage enjoyed by some as an advantage to others. The internet has the potential to equalize and level the playing field especially for citizens of poorer countries. The potential of a single connected PC in a small African village should not be underestimated, potentially opening a world of knowledge.
