• Empowerment divide . Empowerment is the most difficult to solve. It is concerned with how we use technology to empower ourselves. Very few users truly understand the power that digital technologies can give them. In his article, Nielsen explains that his and others’ research has shown that very few users contribute content to the Internet, use advanced search, or can even distinguish paid search ads from organic search results. Many people will limit what they can do online by accepting the basic, default settings of their computer and not work to understand how they can truly be empowered. Understanding the digital divide using these three stages provides a more nuanced view of how we can work to alleviate it. More work needs to be done to address the second and third stages of the digital divide for a more holistic solution. Refining the Digital Divide The Miniwatts Marketing Group, host of Internet World Stats, has sought in 2018 to further clarify the meaning of digital divide by acknowledging that the divide is more than just who does or does not have access to the Internet. In addition to Nielsen’s economic, usability, and empowerment divides, this group sees the following concerns. • Social mobility . Lack of computer education works to the disadvantage of children with lower socioeconomic status. • Democracy . Greater use of the Internet can lead to healthier democracies especially in participation in elections. • Economic growth . Greater use of the Internet in developing countries could provide a shortcut to economic advancement. Using the latest technology could give Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 244
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