Global Digital Divides in the Covid-19 Era: Purposeful Use of the Internet and Technologies

Global Digital Divides in the COVID-19 Era examines global digital divides prior to and during the pandemic, emphasizing internet and technology trends, spatial distributions, determinants, explanations, policy implications, and the aspiration of an equitable digital society. It analyzes purposeful use of the internet in the world and the majority of its major regions and countries. For digitally underserved economies, such as sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Middle East, it is still appropriate to consider the traditional measures of technology access and use. In advanced economies, AI and machine learning are examined.

This book identifies where deficits are located geographically, and also where the hot spots and cold spots are for levels of use and purposeful use of technologies. It points out the impacts of these technologies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For mature, inclusive, and equitable digital societies worldwide, attention has shifted from gaps in access to gaps in purposeful use of these technologies. For broadband, purposeful uses include e-commerce, e-health, e-entertainment, e-communication, e-education, and remote work.

This book provides actual accounts of the digital divide challenges and successes in several case studies, such as the trailing usage of ICTs in Bolivia, the heightened purposeful use of e-commerce in Sweden and Denmark, and AI use in the US Silicon Valley. Finally, it recommends policies and steps that various national, state, and provincial governments can develop to narrow digital divides and improve the equity and inclusion of all their diverse citizens.

James Pick is Professor of Business with interests in information technology, GIS, urban geography, and sustainability at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, USA.

Avijit Sarkar is Professor of Analytics with interests in digital equity and inclusion, GIS, and artificial intelligence in business and society at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, USA.