Under the Bridge: Net2NO and the Digital Divide

The gap between those who have access to the Internet and those who do not seems like a fitting topic for the Net2NO community to explore. Afterall, it perfectly combines techie stuff with complex social issues, online connectivity with real world consequences. However, while it is a seemingly perfect fit, it is also a highly volatile one. There are socio-economic, racial, psychographic, demographic, even geographic issues all at play here. Another factor is that with current Census data lacking at best, the truth is, no one really knows to what extent this gap even exists. Is it larger than we assume? Smaller? The debate over how big or small the gap or how to close it often overlooks another prescient point: WHY does it exist? Assumptions abound, but sometimes getting to the heart of why something exists is the only way to even begin to address it. So in the spirit of Crowdsourcing, we invite all Net2NO members, non-members, offline, online, to join us as we delve into this issue through working groups and breakout sessions in an attempt to even remotely begin to understand what steps are needed to bridge the gap.