What difference to all this might the 'digital divide' make? a) To socioeconomically related access issues within a society? b) To global access issu

Surely the continuation of this supposed digital divide between the youths and the adults will continue to create problems in everday lives. The way I see it going is as follows; talking about digital natives and digital immigrants will widen the gap between adults (digital immigrants) and the youths (digital natives). The adults will be seen as out of touch and youths will be seen as digitally superior, connoting that they are more powerful. This suggets that by all this it will result in contemporary youth culture being seen as cut off from adult influences.

In 1869, Matthew Arnold wrote that culture "seeks to do away with classes; to make the best that has been thought and known in the world current everywhere; to make all men live in an atmosphere of sweetness and light [...]". (Culture and Anarchy). This notion of culture being unifluenced by class and power will surely be invalid, as those with money and opportunities will benefit from new and innovative technology, whereas those who don't won't be able to keep up with technology, thus losing their status as digital natives, and broadening the digital divide.

By encouraging this Digital divide, it will only create other potential problems for the future in terms of employment. Companies and businesses will only want to employ digital natives as they will have more experience using technology so those people who have access to technology will benefit immensely and have a greater chance of employment.

This sounds abit 'sciencey' for my liking, but this is a huge cause for concern; we, as a world, consume a huge amount of electricity, and this is rapidly running out! Yes there are 'alternatives' , but there is nothing concrete, so what happens when we have to go back to the 'dark ages' and there is not a digital immigrant in sight?

The digital divide between immigrants and natives is growing rapidly in our own country, so what about between us and the world. Especially when you consider that Japan is supposed to be at least 50 years more advanced than we are. Some people in the world will never have seen a computer let alone know how to operate it. Third world countries are struggling to even provide themselves with food let alone the skills to become a country thriving with digital natives.

If young people are more able to digitally 'connect' , surely it would be beneficial to allow them to incorporate thier skills in education in school, to prevent the gap from increasing to much. But also allowing traditional methods to be used so that the emphasis is not placed to heavily upon technonlogy. This would certainly benefit the technologically challenged and the socially rejected to keep up with the modern world.

And maybe more 'natives' should go to thse less priveledge countries, and help to teach those who don't know. the technologically challenged and the socially rejected