Tenebrosity of the Divide – Assessing the impacts of Digital Divide with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Existing literatures have focussed on the meaning of digital divide and its effect under normal circumstances. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic however, it has become very important to reflect on the consequences that this divide has had on people all across the world during the pandemic. Until now, digital divide meant a gap in awareness but the Corona pandemic has overturned its meaning and has made it more severe than it ever was. It is now leading to people losing their jobs, students not being able to study and people having to give up on their careers all because of absence of digital access.1 This might in the future, give rise to and promote elitist tendencies. The impact of digital divide is far too serious in the virus- infected world and cannot be overlooked2. Before moving forward, it is very important to firstly understand the meaning of Digital Divide, its types and why despite of an overall increase in gizmos, does the divide still persist.