Broadband Internet access is being worded as “the” digital divide between those that are connected and those that are not. What is at stake here is a matter of resources: communication channels, IP addresses and, of course, investment.
Once this first barrier is surpassed it will be unveiled another twofold digital divide. Remote previously unconnected places will engage the connected world mainly as consumers of information content and as users of tools, both produced and developed abroad.
I have doubts if the developed and rich part of the world will devote the same effort and resources to overcome this new divide in a true digital world as it is devoting to overcome the access barrier.
Anyway these considerations are not made with the intention to delay the pace of inclusion in this brave new digital world but to initiate debate on the ways to deal with this other divide and its implications.
