Challenging the Digital Divide? A Literature Review of Community Informatics Initiatives - The Digital Age : Opportunity or Exclusion?

There is growing concern that people without access to computers and the Internet may be excluded from a range of individual and communal opportunities including employment prospects, educational achievement, health status, leisure experiences, political participation and business opportunities. This report reviews existing literature about the emergence of a 'digital divide' between those who have access to computers and those who do not, and provides policy-makers and practitioners with the first accessible and comprehensive examination of worldwide research conducted to date. The authors argue that computer networks in the perceived emerging 'information society' makes access to these new information and communications technologies (ICTs) a prerequisite for commercial competitive advantage, social development and life chances. With examples of innovative applications of ICTs in disadvantaged communities, the report highlights their potential for improving the life opportunities and support for people living in such communities.;It identifies the potential strengths and weaknesses of a range of community informatics initiatives as a means of providing effective support for people living in predominantly disadvantaged areas. The report also outlines key policy challenges for UK Online centres as an effective means to challenge the digital divide and provides clear policy recommendations to be addressed.