COO se tee ne ‘The digital divide in Singapore Singapore is @ developed country thet has some of thefastest broadband cannections in thewarld, with more than hala million homes receiving connections with @ minimum of IDDMbps. Over 85% of households have acamputey andi and Computer Science’ consicered an important pert ol education. Singapore still does experience a digital divide. The country benefits from having a government that recognises the difficulties the digital divide trings and is working on initiatives to help reduce the divide. Subsidy orog’ammes have allowee students to purchase computers for their hornes at afar cheaper price than ncrmal. The subsidies also extand to stoadbard coanection. Howexer, subsidised connections are limited to 1 Mbps, ‘arslower then that enjoyed by many other households, creating a divi Another factor, like many other developed countries, is that Singapore has an aging population. As a result, government initiatives have seen plars put in place to provide medical care at home through the use of technology Retirement villages are being, built incorporating tecir ology, Sensors can mon'tor patient's neath and coctars can take advantape a’ the high-speed broadband to make video conference calls to checkin and look over the elcery, who find travel to a clinic dificul Additionally, initiatives have seen many public buildings, such as libraries and community cents, offering ree internet access to the elderly in the hope of encouraging thin to get online, The country sees the internet asintegral to economic and social success and is siving to reduce the gap forallits populstior 5.03 The future Ihe digital divide tends to increase when new technologies became availahle. Younger generations lend to embrace technology more quickly than older ‘generations, As new technology is usually initially expensive, itis sake up mare quickly by those wha have wealth rather than those who do net. For example, in 2013,3. millon smert watches were sold. By 2014, sales had rsen to 6.8 million. Virtually ll hese sales were in developed countries. In 2015, Apple made itssmart watch available to customers in just nine countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Jaan, the United Kingdom ane the United States. The populations of developing nations tevd lo got left betind wher now technologies emerge, although thacivkie lessens as these technologies become more widespread and less costly Access to technology, or often a lack oft, is one of the Viggestcontibulors to Ure digital divide. Kaving a digital device that is connected io the internat allows access to educational resources, ecommerce, online banking and entertainment, amongst other things. Many people who dohaveaccess ar being encouraged te alow their older technologies to be refurbyshed and given to those who currently have n For those who don technologies avaiable, there ere courses beingrun in many areas to he'p people laam the sxills needed, Thore, arealsomary countries that are funding community teaching programs, especially for those in poorer areas. fr less developed countries there isa driveto set up cybercates to maxe technologies avaiable to communities and increase thai-chance at a beter education and access to facilities such as ecommerce, The digtalevicewill exist n manydlfferent ways fora long tre yet but each initiative thar Is put inte pace wl helo to closethat divide a piece ata time, There is hope that tric wil eliminate a culture f digital divide and create a culture of dighat Task. Plan 2 letter that could be sent to a governmentoficial about te cigttal divide in your couniry. Make at least two Suggesticnsabout how the gap could bec: 5.04 Summary Ihe dgital divide is the echnology clive between countries, demographic groups and economic areas. tis ¢ technical, social and economic issue about che availabilty and useof mace technologies. Irelers to more than just the internet and can incivde vechnolegies such as telephones, televisions, PCs ane the internat