The Digital Divide

Growing up, technology was a privilege. I didn’t have a real cell phone until I was 16. I never upgrade phones, unless my current one is broken. Once I became an adult, with the exception of being in school, internet and cable were the last bills to get paid every month. Nowadays, my nieces and nephews have tablets, several game systems, cell phones and computers.

A digital divide never really crossed my mind because I’ve always seen technology as a privilege and a normal part of everyday life. Our society is about advancement and discovering something new and better. However, when everything is going the way of technology, or it is becoming required, then everyone needs to have the access. It wasn’t until Covid happened that I started to really see this. It wasn’t until our recent ice storm, that I understood it. Education is a right, not a privilege. The tools to get education shouldn’t be dependent on the ability to access electronics or internet.

This digital divide also affects things like job hunting, credit or loan applications, rental applications etc. Every time I need a new job, people around me always say, “Take your application in and demand to meet the hiring manager. Make sure to shake their hand. Call to follow up on your application”. I learned that most places use online applications, have multiple people involved in the hiring process and really don’t like it when you call to check up on your application. As times change, the people that have to change with it, should have easy access to accomplish what needs done. Otherwise, too many people are left behind and society cannot grow.