Minorities and the Digital Divide

Information and communication technologies (ICT) such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, and computers have become an integral part of America’s entertainment, communication, and information culture. Since the mid-1990s, ICT has become prevalent in middleand upper-class American households. Companies and government agencies are increasingly offering products, services, and information online. Educational institutions are integrating ICT in their curriculum and are offering courses from a distance. However, while some are advantaged by the efficiencies and convenience that result from these innovations, others may unwittingly become further marginalized by these same innovations since ICT access is not spreading to them as quickly. The “digital divide” is the term used to describe this emerging disparity. Government analysts argue that historically underserved groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, rural and low-income communities, and older Americans, are at a distinct disadvantage if this divide is not closed because American economic and social life is increasingly becoming networked through the Internet (National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1995). The digital divide is not only an American social problem. Digital divide issues are of concern in developing countries as well as in information technology marginalized communities within developed nations. Over the last decade, access to ICT has increased for most Americans, but does this mean that the problem of the digital divide has been solved? Is further research in this area warranted or has the digital divide become passé? In this article, we take on these questions by first reviewing major issues and trends in digital divide research. We do so by reviewing the digital divide literature as it relates to one historically underserved group, namely African-Americans. Next, we present a conceptual framework that contrasts 1) social and technological access perspectives, and 2) asset-based/resource and behavioral/use perspectives. The paper concludes with our recommendations for future research opportunities for examining digital divide issues. BACKGROUND