Reader's Response Draft 1

                 In a Euromonitor blog post entitled “Global Digital Divide Persists but Is Narrowing” (2011); it is asserted that the gap in internet accessibility between developed and developing countries is getting smaller. Even though consumers in developed countries have a greater access to internet connection than those in developing countries, the number of consumers with access to internet in the latter is increasing over the past few years. This blog post has also noted that internet usage and access have significant implications on the internet users.

            Firstly, I agree with the assertion made in the blog post that there are various positive impacts on the consumers such as social and economic due to increased internet accessibility as stated in the article “Email and Internet access, especially through social media, allows people to communicate in new ways” (Euromonitor International, 2011). This is particularly true in my case. Gone were the days where telephone was the only mode of communication, today with the invent of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp we are ever more connected.  I still remember back in my primary and secondary school days, project meeting hard to change as if we had to communicate with one another rather than communicate as group but today the situation is quite different as groups can be easily created on Whataspp and communication is made much easier across the group. Such inventions in social media have to be attributed to increased internet accessibility.

               Secondly, another point made in the article is that, the narrowing digital divide has “arguably add to a social and cultural globalization with consumers all over the world able to access a wider choice of things like music, entertainment, brands and products” (Euromonitor International, 2011). Again I find myself nodding to this statement as today almost everything is done online from signing up for credit cards to buying clothes. Five years ago , if you someone asked me, if I shopped online my answer will be a “no” as I preferred going down to the shops to get them , but today due to the very hectic lifestyles we are leading I prefer buying them online. Indeed I will agree that the narrowing digital divide has resulted in a “cultural and social globalization”.

               Lastly, the article mentions that “The availability of information on the Internet provides a major learning resource for consumers, both in terms of awareness of current affairs but also for training and remote learning. This could help reduce the divide in education and literacy levels between developed and developing regions as well as helping to narrow rural and urban divides” (Euromonitor International, 2011). I agree with the above claim as I believe there is vast amount of information available on the internet for us to use. With a click of a few buttons we can be connected to possibly any part of the world and be aware of what is happening there at any point. However, I do not agree fully with the claim made that, with vast amount of information available on the internet it increases consumer’s awareness to a point that it could help reduce the divide in education and literacy rates between developing and developed as not everyone can use what’s on the internet wisely or rather know how to use it to their advantage.

                In conclusion , some of the ideas brought out in the article, made me think further on how the narrowing global divide is of advantage to everyone living in both developed and developing countries but more so for those in developing countries.  However I feel that the benefits of narrowing global divide will vary across countries as it is dependent on each country’s own development.

Bibliography

Euromonitor International. (2011, February 11). Retrieved from http://blog.euromonitor.com/2011/02/global-digital-divide-persists-but-is-narrowing-1.html