This means those taking internet access for granted really shouldn’t be. Many people may want to be glued to their screens and scroll constantly but that’s not always the luxury at stake, the study finds.
As per recent stats, those based in low-income nations have limited internet access with figures hitting 27%. This is in stark comparison to the 93% figures witnessed in high-income nations, the report proves.
The stats are broken down based on continents which showed how populations residing in North America, Europe, and South America had the most access, or 90%. Meanwhile, only 38% of those living in Africa have internet access.
The ITU’s secretary general adds that this disparity is one of two digital realities between the rich and poor. It’s an alarming gap in terms of crucial connectivity indicators. Many people cannot avail the same chances that others get in terms of information access, employment, and education due to this.
It was also shared that true progress can only be when interconnections are achieved and the world benefits by moving together as a whole with tech advancements. The divergent differences appear as connectivity differences in different regions like urban and rural locations.
Less than half of the world in rural regions have access to the Internet while more than 80% of the world in urban regions have access. Thankfully it’s not all bad, the study finds that many demographic gaps are shutting.
There’s only a 5% point difference between males’ and females’ internet access. Meanwhile, there’s only a 13% difference between youth and older people. As the director of ITU’s Development Bureau explains, it’s like seeing the world inch toward getting universal success instead of running to it, he continued.
So the progress is there but it’s very slow in terms of connectivity. Even a small growth can be masked by major gaps seen in some of the most vulnerable parts of the world. This digital exclusion is making living life much more challenging than it really should be.
The goal is to intensify efforts to get rid of barriers that keep others offline. It should also be towards eliminating usage gaps and renewing commitments to getting meaningful online connections.
