The digital divide is the unequal opportunity to access and make use of computers and the internet. These inequalities can be due to many different factors including racism, sexism, and classism. I found all of the above "isms" to be very interesting within the context of the digital divide and I also discovered that they cannot really be separated from one another. They are all intertwined so deeply that it is almost impossible to contribute one certain aspect of the digital divide to one certain "ism" or vice versa.
The Gender Digital Divide, Women Fall Behind is an article that talks a lot about how women, on a more global scale, are being affected by the gap as a result of the digital divide. In class we really wanted to focus on the digital divide within the United States, however, I think it is useful to look at the happenings in other countries as well. This is especially true when thinking about the number of poor, women of color that reside in other countries. Analyzing the digital divide in other countries is not only useful, but is absolutely necessary when taking a feminist perspective. Women of color, especially in other countries, are so often left out of numerous feminist studies and I for one do not want to proliferate that in any way.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Interview with Nadine Moawad
Nadine Moawad is a feminist activist who works in Lebanon. She is currently focusing her energy on the intersection of sexuality issues with internet censorship and communication. She talks about the many issues with the internet in Lebanon and how these issues affect women.
About half a million new users are using the internet every month in the Middle East. That is a huge number! Many people, however, especially women, are not easily included in that number. Nadine talked about how internet usage is a huge issue of class. If a woman cannot afford her own computer, she must seek out internet usage elsewhere. There are Internet Cafes/Shops where women can go and use the internet, but they are not very "user-friendly". These shops are highly dominated by men. Often time, the men in these spaces are using the internet to watch porn and play games. I do not know about everyone else, but I sure wouldn't want to sit in a cafe with a bunch of men looking at porn. Not only is it an awkward atmosphere, but once women log onto the computers, they are bombarded with sexist propaganda. The promotion of violence against women and articles on Facebook about "How to handle women" can be found everywhere!
About half a million new users are using the internet every month in the Middle East. That is a huge number! Many people, however, especially women, are not easily included in that number. Nadine talked about how internet usage is a huge issue of class. If a woman cannot afford her own computer, she must seek out internet usage elsewhere. There are Internet Cafes/Shops where women can go and use the internet, but they are not very "user-friendly". These shops are highly dominated by men. Often time, the men in these spaces are using the internet to watch porn and play games. I do not know about everyone else, but I sure wouldn't want to sit in a cafe with a bunch of men looking at porn. Not only is it an awkward atmosphere, but once women log onto the computers, they are bombarded with sexist propaganda. The promotion of violence against women and articles on Facebook about "How to handle women" can be found everywhere!
Class and Gender Impact Youth Internet Use
A survey is conducted annually in Sweden called "Young Swedes and the Internet". This survey has shown that from 2000 to 2009 internet use has crept down the age groups. The debut age has fallen from 13 to four. The survey shows that socioeconomic backgrounds and gender are key factors in how early and in what manner most children are learning to use the internet.
Four years old! I did not even know what the internet was when I was four. I know that our society has become extremely technologically advanced and that, yes, these new technologies are obviously going to be used by kids younger and younger, but four years old! That just seems crazy! What are kids doing on the internet at four?
I have two little sisters and both are elementary school age. They both know how to use the internet and use it quite regularly. They use it to both play games and get homework done. I can understand school age children using the internet, no problem, but toddlers? Early Education educators stress the importance of play when talking about toddlers. It is fundamentally important in a child's development. I am not going to go into all of the details about why play is so important, but I am pretty sure that "playing" on the internet does not count.
This news really makes me worry about the integrity of parenting styles and of the parents themselves. Just like you cannot rely on television to teach your kids, you cannot rely on the internet either! The internet is not censored and people can write/post pretty much whatever they want. The internet is also not the safest place to be, especially for little kids. While I strongly believe that the internet can be a useful tool in educating, this article made me wonder--what are toddlers really learning?
To learn more: http://www.thelocal.se/26750/20100520/
Four years old! I did not even know what the internet was when I was four. I know that our society has become extremely technologically advanced and that, yes, these new technologies are obviously going to be used by kids younger and younger, but four years old! That just seems crazy! What are kids doing on the internet at four?
I have two little sisters and both are elementary school age. They both know how to use the internet and use it quite regularly. They use it to both play games and get homework done. I can understand school age children using the internet, no problem, but toddlers? Early Education educators stress the importance of play when talking about toddlers. It is fundamentally important in a child's development. I am not going to go into all of the details about why play is so important, but I am pretty sure that "playing" on the internet does not count.
This news really makes me worry about the integrity of parenting styles and of the parents themselves. Just like you cannot rely on television to teach your kids, you cannot rely on the internet either! The internet is not censored and people can write/post pretty much whatever they want. The internet is also not the safest place to be, especially for little kids. While I strongly believe that the internet can be a useful tool in educating, this article made me wonder--what are toddlers really learning?
To learn more: http://www.thelocal.se/26750/20100520/
Got Facebook? Investigating What's Social About Social Media
"What do people do without Facebook?" Had this question been asked six years ago, people would have responded with a supplemental question, "What is Facebook?" Facebook is a relatively new social networking site, having been started in 2004; however, I cannot imagine my life without it. Everyone has Facebook and if you are one of the few who does not, boy do you get weird looks! A National Survey was conducted in hopes of answering numerous questions concerning this highly visited site. What social, cultural, and political activities are young, college-educated Facebook users engaged in? Who are the individuals and communities being interacted with? What types of media and information are being shared and consumed? All of these are good questions and the survey itself resulted in many great answers, however, I found this question more interesting: What is social about social media?
Think of all the many new technologies today that we did not have 20 years ago. Laptops, cell phones, ipods, gaming devices--all of these devices play a major role in our everyday lives. I know I personally start to panic if my cell phone is not within a reachable distance. In light of all these new technologies and our society's dependence upon them, many people are compelled to argue that humans have become less social. I can recall numerous times when my grandparents were telling stories and commented, "People just don't visit like they used to." Is this really the case? Are all of these new technologies and websites made to keep us together or apart?
Think of all the many new technologies today that we did not have 20 years ago. Laptops, cell phones, ipods, gaming devices--all of these devices play a major role in our everyday lives. I know I personally start to panic if my cell phone is not within a reachable distance. In light of all these new technologies and our society's dependence upon them, many people are compelled to argue that humans have become less social. I can recall numerous times when my grandparents were telling stories and commented, "People just don't visit like they used to." Is this really the case? Are all of these new technologies and websites made to keep us together or apart?
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