Areas of Consensus

The Growing Role of the Internet
The provisional promise of the Internet has now become undeniable fact. Its rapid growth and expansion have been the catalyst for tremendous advancements and opportunities in education, communications, democracy, commerce and information technology. However, while the opportunities and advancements that the Internet afford often seem limitless, in truth they are neither spontaneous nor guaranteed. The actual strength and scope of the Internet is invariably a function of the number of individuals and organizations that create and utilize the content and services it provides.

Carolyn Chin: Defining the Digital Divide real video
Anthony Wilhelm: The value of the internet real video

The Importance of Access
An essential component of safeguarding and facilitating the development of this “user-driven” medium is ensuring that all users are provided with open and impartial access. This objective is one that demands our attention because the existence of a general socioeconomic divide in the United States and abroad is incontestable. All too often, access to education, health care services, employment opportunities and technological advancements are a function of race, gender, age, income and location. Further exploration of this issue is required to determine not only the extent to which these factors affect Internet access for disenfranchised segments of our global community, but also how Internet access can mitigate the factors that contribute to the general social divide.

Mark Lloyd: The Composition of the Digital Divide real video

[Moving Forward]