TOPIC # 1

• Review the materials for this discussion and respond to the following questions:

• Does the existence of a digital divide violate the Declaration of Human Rights? If so, which articles do you think are violated?
• Should the Internet be a right? Defend your position. What are the costs and benefits associated with your position? What policies or laws might be affected by your position?
• Is it possible to close the digital divide? Defend your position.
• How might technology be used to close the divide?

http://www.ted.com/talks/aleph_molinari_let_s_bridge_the_digital_divide

http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX3273000072&v=2.1&u=umd_umuc&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=501502ebc4e40b7ca4b342ce6c627d6b

http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html

TOPIC # 2

• http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Overview.aspx

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Main-Report/Internet-adoption-over-time.aspx

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Home-Broadband-2010/Part-1/Most-non-internet-users-have-limited-exposure-to-online-life.aspx

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Main-Report/Internet-activities-Those-already-online-are-doing-more.aspx

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences/Main-Report/The-power-of-mobile.aspx

Take a walk through the Pew Research Center’s articles on internet access and use. What are some of the most interesting factoids that you picked up? Does anything surprise you?

You’ll note that the research shows that some digital divides in access and use have disappeared (e.g., race and gender—largely because of advancements in mobile phones). However, may divides still remain (e.g., age, education, income). It’s important to think about why these divides remain and how we, as a society, can fix them. Why do you think these differences still exist for these groups?