Unfair Access to Information

868 Words2 Pages

In Hong Kong, about 40% of households do not have a computer, while 70% do not use the Internet. Despite the rapid development and widespread use of information and communication technologies in recent years, scholars have drawn attention to the fact that access to these innovations is by no means even [1], and this has raised concerns about an emerging information gap in a society based on income and education. The issue of whether equitable access to information technologies and services in the digital age for the poor, the elderly and other disadvantaged groups is currently a controversial topic. The purpose of this essay is to examine the hypothesis that access to information in the digital age is unfair. I will examine two refuting arguments and two supporting arguments. The counter arguments are the quality of government councils improved and benefit with minority groups, and the supporting arguments are reinforcement of the non-digital inequalities and replacement of traditional services with digital. Then I will conclude by presenting my own opinion on the topic.

Firstly, probably the most prominent refuting argument is that living of the elderly and the poor will be improved as government councils will become more open and better able to lead their communities than traditional services. [2] The minorities now have more channels to express their needs and opinions. Access to the Internet enhances the opportunities for citizens to access their political representatives and debate with government and each other [3], for example, citizens can express their expectations and opinions in the government portal before the release of the annual Budget in Hong Kong.

Secondly, the next most influential supporting point may be t...

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...rovided online. Therefore, these results in the digital divide.

References

1. N. Martin, The Information Age., New York: Blackwall, 2002

2. J. Siddiqi & B. Akhgar, "A Framework for Increasing Participation in E-Government," The 2006 Int. Conf. E-business, Enterprise Inform. Syst., E-government & Outsourcing, 2006. [Online]. Available: http://ww1.ucmss.com/books/LFS/CSREA2006/EEE4487.pdf. [Accessed Mar. 31, 2011].

3. I. Kearns, Code Red: Progressive Politics In The Digital Age., London: IPPR, 2001

4. L.D. Simon, Democracy and the Internet: Allies or Adversaries?, Washington, D.C. : Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 2003

5. Cabinet Office, E-government: A strategic framework for public services in the information age., London: 2000

6. Teicher, Julian & Hughes, "E-government: A New Route to Public Sector Quality," Managing Service Quality, vol. 12, no. 6, 2002.

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