The Digital Divide

 

Schoolwork in the time of COVID-19

In the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a great deal of discussion about the “digital divide,” particularly as it relates to kids in public schools and their access to digital learning. COVID-19 has forced many schools to adopt a virtual learning or hybrid model due to contagion, illness, quarantine or teacher shortages. The global pandemic saw public school systems scrambling to get access to virtual learning for students quarantined at home.

It seems there are a countless number of articles looking at the impact of the digital divide on students and how the lack of access to computers and high-speed internet is creating a learning gap between more affluent, urban students and low income, minority and rural students. A 2019 National Center for Education Statistics’ Condition of Education report said that in 2017 only 49% of families making less than $20,000 a year had home internet access - meaning three million students do not (King, 2019). Studies have shown that students need to be able to create and learn with technology in order to develop an identity as a technology user, which affects their continuing use of technology and digital literacy (Degennaro & Brown, 2009).

However the concept of a “digital divide,” a term coined in the late 20th century to refer to systemic inequities that occur with some Americans' lack of access to computers and the internet (Rogers, 2016), is not just about students, but adults as well. Over time, the term has evolved to encompass not just the lack of technological access but also a lack of digital literacy among Americans. Aside from students, marginalized communities, women, and older Americans seem to be groups heavily impacted by the digital divide.

The Digital Divide is an Income Divide

A 2021 Pew Research Center survey illustrated a sharp divide between Americans with lower and higher incomes in regard to internet use, broadband adoption and smartphone ownership (Vogels, 2021). This disparity was particularly stark in households with incomes below $30k, with 24% of respondents sharing that they did not own a smartphone and 41% not owning a computer or having access to broadband services (43%). Researchers have pointed out that the smartphone, once touted as the panacea of the digital divide since broadband is not required, is not actually a cure-all. Smartphones are difficult to use for activities such as employment applications or taxes, access to superior tools and data are available only on the more expensive smartphones, and smartphones can be difficult for the digitally illiterate to use, especially the older generation. (Bernard, 2011)

Women and Digital Literacy

A professional women’s organization I belong to has an interest in discussing public policy issues that impact women and girls, specifically in terms of economic equity and education. A few months ago we gathered for a conversation about the digital divide. As we discussed the digital divide, we realized that the gap isn’t just one of access to the internet and computers or smartphones, but also one of digital literacy, and that gap may impact women more so than men. For example, a former schoolteacher who had been out of the workforce for twelve years raising her children re-entered the workforce by substitute teaching. She discovered that she was hopelessly out of step with the digital literacy that is now second nature to teachers, from using smart boards to crafting assignments through apps on tablets and of course, using Zoom. The pace of technology is fast, and for women who step out of the workforce to raise children, they may find themselves digitally illiterate compared to their peers.

Older Adults and Information Communication Technologies (ICT)

“In a society where technology progresses at an exponential rate, older adults are often unaware of the existence of different kinds of information and communication technologies,” (Wu et. al, 2015).

Digital illiteracy which is often seen as a socio economic issue, is also certainly a generational issue. I am someone who, though comfortable with technology, is irked when I have to adapt to change in that technology, as with Windows or Iphone updates. I get used to the way something works, and get annoyed when I have to adjust to a new way of doing something. My thirteen year old son, on the other hand, has been taught to embrace changes in technology - he ardently looks forward to upcoming updates to the Minecraft server for example - to him, change is expected, change is celebrated, change is good.

The rapid acceleration of current technologies and rate of change demands adaptability from technology users, and that adaptability is not so easily taught. In essence, you are teaching people that they have to continually keep learning, and can never rest on their laurels - knowing something today does not necessarily mean you know something tomorrow. Anyone working in marketing or communications today knows that if you are not ahead of the power curve in terms of the technology you are using, you will quickly be behind. Campaigns have to be continually adjusted as the parameters of when and how you can deploy technologies change due to software updates, privacy law changes, new capabilities, etc.

This posture of adaptability to continually changing technologies is not easy to teach to the older generation. One study introducing new technologies to older adults found that participants had numerous barriers to using new technology, including anxiety, lack of familiarity, and age-related cognitive difficulties. One study respondent stated that the mentality required for operating in the digital environment was different than how their generation thought, and that “the young have a digital mind” (Wu et. al., 2015). With so many aspects of modern life dependent on technology and ICT in particular, it is sobering to think of the impact disassociation from technology could have on elderly people, who might need to navigate online to access their social security checks, or schedule grocery deliveries, or understand how to set up a telehealth video call with their doctor.

Bridging the Divide

There are many programs in place in different communities attempting to bridge the gap of the digital divide. PHL ConnectED in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a public private partnership that as of 2021 had provided over 18,000 internet connections to low-income families with children in Philadelphia public and private schools (Graham, 2021). One of the more robust initiatives today is in North Carolina, where Governor Roy Cooper has announced a $1 billion investment in digital equity through a program that addresses the digital divide through new infrastructure, increased access and affordability and digital literacy (The Digital Divide | ncbroadband.gov, n.d.).

North Carolina has the right idea. In order to address the issues of the digital divide, we have to look at both access to technology and education for the older generation, for those returning into the workforce, and those whose socioeconomics may have left them behind in terms of digital literacy.

References

‌ Anderson, M., & Perrin, A. (2017, May 17). 2. Barriers to adoption and attitudes towards technology. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech; Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/05/17/barriers-to-adoption-and-attitudes-towards-technology/

Bernard, S. (2011, August 8). Crossing the Digital Divide: Bridges and Barriers to Digital Inclusion. Edutopia; George Lucas Educational Foundation. https://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-technology-access-inclusion

Degennaro, D., & Brown, T. L. (2009). Youth voices: connections be tween history, enacted culture and identity in a digital divide initia tive. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 4(1), 13–19. doi:10. 1007/s11422-008-9108-y.

Graham, K. A. (2021). A year into PHLConnectED, Philly has made 18,000 internet connections. Https://Www.inquirer.com. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from https://www.inquirer.com/news/free-internet-students-philadelphia-comcast-digital-divide-20210816.html

King, D. K. (Taylor). (n.d.). T-Mobile for Business BrandVoice: It’s Time To Close The Digital Divide. Forbes. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmobile/2020/05/22/its-time-to-close-the-digital-divide/?sh=5ef4d21619b5

The Digital Divide | ncbroadband.gov. (n.d.). Www.ncbroadband.gov. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from https://www.ncbroadband.gov/digital-divide

Vogels, E. (2021, June 22). Digital divide persists even as Americans with lower incomes make gains in tech adoption. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/06/22/digital-divide-persists-even-as-americans-with-lower-incomes-make-gains-in-tech-adoption/

Wu, Y.-H., Damnée, S., Kerhervé, H., Ware, C., & Rigaud, A.-S. (2015, January 9). Bridging the digital divide in older adults: a study from an initiative to inform older adults about new technologies. Clinical Interventions in Aging. https://www.dovepress.com/bridging-the-digital-divide-in-older-adults-a-study-from-an-initiative-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CIA

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Media Convergence: Where Disney is King

 

       https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/money-finance/companies-disney-owns-worldwide/

My husband was assigned to a military base in Alabama for several years. I am a native of northern Ohio, which makes me a pretty thorough Yankee in any Southerner’s regard. But there were a number of things I loved about Alabama: the people were friendly, winter skies were blue-I even liked the little lizards that skitter around outside. (Our cat loved those little lizards, too. I did not love it when the cat caught the lizards.) I also loved that we could easily drive down to the ocean on a long weekend, and that for a vacation we could easily drive to Orlando, Florida, to visit Disney World.

I have friends that are Disney fanatics, always first in line for new Disney films, making their annual pilgrimages to the parks, and decking their children (and themselves) out in Disney merchandise otherwise. That’s not me. But I do enjoy Disney World, because I love to watch the business of Disney in action, and that business is the customer experience. What does Disney’s customer experience have to do with media convergence? Everything. Disney’s approach to the customer experience informs their mastery of media convergence, because they curate every aspect of a customer’s experience, whether in person or online.

Media Convergence

Media convergence can be defined in several different ways. There is the classic definition of the three C’s of computing, communication and content and where they meet in the digital landscape. But that’s pretty old school. (When was the last time you used the word, “computing?”) The more common understanding of media convergence has to do with technological convergence, namely the array of channels and platforms across which we can now communicate and do business. The typical old school marketing platforms of newspapers, magazines, radio, and network television now exist alongside websites, podcasts, blogs, social media, streaming platforms, etc. In order to communicate effectively to the public, your messaging has to move seamlessly across multiple platforms, with regard not only to the channel used but also the device your audience uses to access your channel. Content optimized for a laptop looks different than content optimized for a mobile phone or tablet, and may read differently as well. The devices used by consumers change quickly due to tech-driven innovations, with an estimated 2 billion people now accessing the internet just on a smartphone (Handley, 2019).

It’s not only the messaging that has changed. All businesses are impacted by media convergence because the digital landscape impacts business activities across the spectrum from value-creation, supply chains, advertising, sales, and finance to distribution. In 2013, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote that “the acceleration of information delivery, the end of the tyranny of place, and the dispersal of economic activity is a troika of network-driven change that rattles the foundation of commerce and culture” (NET EFFECTS: The Past, Present, and Future Impact of Our Networks, 2013). As a media giant with a $238.9 billion market cap and interests spanning the globe, Disney can attribute much of its success to its embrace of media convergence with business practices that not only innovate content but also acquire new digital properties and distribution networks (Beattie, 2011) .

Disney: From Customer Experience to Media Convergence

Before we delve into Disney’s domination of media convergence as one of the world's leading media empires, let’s chat about Disney and the customer experience. If you’ve been to Disney, you know that the magic is real. From the carefully designed themes of their attractions and resorts, to a friendly staff who readily engage in “surprise & delight” tactics like storm troopers suddenly surrounding you and dragging your child away to meet Kylo Ren, to keeping crowds entertained when they spend two hours in a line, Disney has done an extraordinary amount of work in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Attractions deploy visuals, sounds, smells, and sensations to achieve the goal of total customer engagement (Magic Kingdom’s A Bug’s Life, anyone?), with merchandising and post-experience engagements solidifying a magical experience.

Disney’s dedication to the customer experience manifests differently in their industry and marketing approaches to media convergence. Disney’s industry approach acquires new channels for content creation, giving them untold vertical convergence through properties like Lucas films (Star Wars franchise), Marvel, Pixar and Fox, while also taking control of platforms for distribution in a kind of horizontal convergence through their proprietary streaming service, Disney Plus, cable channels, digital properties, amusement parks and cruise ship/branded travel experiences. In the past Disney was primarily a content creator, but now they are becoming more of a platform in their own right, competing with companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime (Beattie, 2011).

Disney is King

Disney’s mastery of media convergence in their marketing and communications is something you have likely experienced (and definitely experienced if you have visited Disney World or Disneyland.) From the moment you engage with a Disney product, whether you clicked a Disney Plus Facebook ad or inquired about tickets to a Disney park, chances are you are being tracked and delivered ads on different platforms. You might be on your tablet or PC surfing the web when an ad pops up, or watching YouTube or Hulu or listening to Pandora when you see or hear a related Disney commercial. If you have the Disney app on your smartphone you may be receiving text messaging as well - and even if you don’t, simply walking onto a Disney property can tag your phone so that you are delivered mobile ads for a period of time afterwards. There is even tracking technology in place after you drive by some billboards (Digital Billboards Are Tracking You. And They Really, Really Want You to See Their Ads., n.d.).

If you’ve been to Disney World recently, perhaps you invested in the touted “magic bands.” These rubber bracelets are embedded with a computer chip, replacing everything from your entry ticket and fast passes to your credit card. The magic band allows Disney to track a customer through their entire park experience, through check-in at a Disney resort to food and merchandise purchases and every attraction visited. It can even track the length of time a customer interacts with a Disney character actor. This gives Disney a unique opportunity to collect detailed demographics on their guests after aggregating data from multiple sources, and compile statistics on the popularity of their attractions, merchandise and food offerings (Walpole & Writer, 2014) . The mouse is always watching you (cue spooky music.)

As someone in marketing communications, I have to say that there is something that feels a little extra about the Disney touch. They’ve done their psychology homework, and it shows - or they are tracking me far more closely than I think. Regardless, when it comes to how to successfully navigate media convergence Disney sets the standard of success in their approach to the customer experience, ongoing acquisition of channels and platforms, and innovative business approach in the digital landscape.

REFERENCES

Beattie, A. (2011, September 19). Walt Disney: How Entertainment Became an Empire. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/11/walt-disney-entertainment-to-empire.asp

Digital Billboards Are Tracking You. And They Really, Really Want You to See Their Ads. (n.d.). Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/digital-billboards-are-tracking-you-and-they-want-you-to-see-their-ads-a1117246807/

Handley, L. (2019, January 24). Nearly three quarters of the world will use just their smartphones to access the internet by 2025. CNBC; CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/smartphones-72percent-of-people-will-use-only-mobile-for-internet-by-2025.html

How Disney+ is Changing the Streaming Industry through Industrial Convergence. (2021, September 24). Diggit Magazine. https://www.diggitmagazine.com/papers/disney-changing-streaming-industry

‌‌NET EFFECTS: The Past, Present, and Future Impact of Our Networks. (2013, December 2). Federal Communications Commission. https://www.fcc.gov/general/net-effects-past-present-and-future-impact-our-networks-0

Walpole, J., & Writer, S. S. (2014, January 6). Disney’s Magic Wristbands: Mickey Mouse is watching you. The American Genius. https://theamericangenius.com/tech-news/disneys-magic-wristbands-mickey-mouse-watching/amp/