Wakefield (2010) reports that, countries around the world
have started to take action in response to the digital divide. Research by
International Telecommunications Union ( ITU) indicates that there is a
greater difference between the most and least connected countries. In order to
tackle the problem, Eastern European countries like Hungary have implemented a
‘Wi-Fi village’ program by providing Internet access as well as cheap recycled
PCs to rural villagers. However, report author Sasha Meinrath argues that
authorities should consider the ability of the citizens in utilizing network
resources instead of just ‘making kit and access available’.
In my opinion, I do agree with Meinrath that citizen’s
ability is important to maximize the benefits of broadband connectivity. However,
countries should also consider their ability and the feasibility of technological
investments before implementing policies in response to digital divide. These
considerations are essential to prevent them from investing blindly just to
narrow the so call “digital divide”.
Firstly, we know that in order to establish widespread
internet connections, vast investments must come from either the country or
certain corporations to cover the expenditures in terms of infrastructure. Hence,
one should not disregard the significance of the country’s income level while
considering the substantial needs for technology. In the news article,
ITU analyst Vanessa Gray points out that there is a correlation between a
country's scale of digital divide and its economic status, but she seemed to
underestimate the implication of the economic factor by stating that ‘being
able to compare gives them the incentive to do better’. According to the data
of The World Bank, Iceland is rated as the high income country with a gross
national income per capita (GNI) of $12,746 or more, while Myanmar only
possesses a GNI of $1,045 or less. The massive income disparity between both
countries has a distinct effect on their ability to provide nationwide internet
access. Therefore, when national interests are unable to fulfill the demand for
connectivity, corporations take over the responsibility by providing sales of
service for the communities. Nevertheless, this would also marginalize the low
income families as people have to pay substantially more to get connected.
Furthermore, even though a country did have the ability to
establish nationwide internet access, it is unfeasible to invest heavily in
technology while neglecting other phases of development. For example, Wakefield
mentions that Hungary has invested a substantial amount on the development of
high speed fibre-optics cable, at the same time providing training for rural
villagers. However, the Education at a Glance 2014 report by Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reveals that Hungary has serious
weaknesses in education equity, challenging the government to retain and
support their students in finishing their tertiary education. On the other
hand, Hungary’s total expenditure on education institutions as a percentage of
Gross Domestic Product(GDP) is only 4.4%, implying “the steepest decrease among
all OECD countries” in year 2011. (OECD, 2014). The report also mentions that
the level of education attainment has an evident effect on the unemployment
rate of the people in Hungary. According to Okun’s Law, a decrease in the rate
of employment will eventually cause a decrease in a country’s GDP. Therefore, the
negligence of Hungary in the education sector should not be ignored as it may
affect the country’s economy in long term basis.
As a conclusion, the policy makers play an important role in
deciding the country’s direction of development and the future of the people.
Hence, they should always consider realistic measures in terms of financial
constraints and practicability instead of merely following the global trend.
References
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2014). Education at a glance 2014- country note. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from http://www.oecd.org/edu/Hungary-EAG2014-Country-Note.pdf
The World Bank. (n.d.). Country
and lending groups. Retrieved September 19, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups
Wakefield, J. (2010). World wakes up to digital
divide. Retrieved September 7, 2014, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8568681.stm
What Is the relationship between GDP and
unemployment rates? (n.d.). Retrieved
September 19, 2014, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-relationship-between-gdp-and-unemployment-rates.htm
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