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Further Readings
Haight, M., Quan-Haase, A., & Corbett, B. (2014). Revisiting the digital divide in Canada: The impact of demographic factors on access to the Internet, level of online activity, and social networking site usage. Information, Communication & Society, 17(4), 503–19.
Examining access to the Internet, level of online activity, and social networking site usage in the Canadian context, the authors rely on data from the Canadian Internet Use Survey (CIUS), which is based on a national representative sample.
Hargittai, E. (2020). The handbook on digital inequality. London, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
The handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of key topics linked to adoption and use of digital tools, and the required skill set.
Lupač, P. (2018). Beyond the digital divide: Contextualizing the information society (First ed.). Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited.
This book is a deeper dive into the philosophical, theoretical and discursive elements of the “digital divide” as it manifests in a networked society. This is a fascinating, though sometimes difficult, exploration of the intellectual discussions this chapter touches on.
Mutsvairo, B., & Ragnedda, M. (2019). Mapping the digital divide in Africa: A mediated analysis. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press.
This book is a series of academic articles discussing the key “real world” and critical implications of the “digital divide” as it relates to (in particular) sub-Saharan Africa. These articles tease out many of the themes described in this chapter, with the particular political and logistical contexts facing African nations.
Recommended Websites
First Mile
http://meeting.knet.ca/mp19/course/view.php?id=106
First Mile is a meeting place to obtain knowledge about community-driven technology adoption and use. The site contains many resources as well as access to MyKnet, a free online social networking site based in Northern Ontario.
United Nations Science and Technology for Development Network (StDev)
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/CSTD.aspx
The website contains reports from around the world about the current state of the digital divide as well as information on recent conferences addressing concerns around the issue.
Digital divide in Canada, reason for concern
https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2018/06/19/digital-divide-in-canada-reason-for-concern/
This audio discusses some of the factors at play in the deployment and embrace of digital technology in an advanced democracy like Canada: even with political, economic and popular will, the digital divide remains a major complicating factor.
Homeless Hub: Trends and Friends: Access, use and benefits of digital technology for homeless and ex-homeless people
As more and more services are delivered online, society runs the risk of condemning even more people to a state of digital exclusion. This research project explores online use patterns by people experiencing homelessness, or who have previously done so.