Digital divide

The OECD's 2001 policy paper defined the digital divide as a gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socioeconomic levels in their opportunities to access information and communication technologies. The idea has since been used to describe more than a simple contrast between people who are online and those who are not. Unequal broadband coverage and quality, the price of service and devices, and differences in skills and ability to use online services can all shape digital opportunity. Someone may have a connection yet still face a substantial barrier to making effective use of it.

Digital divides occur within as well as between countries. The OECD identifies geography, education, age, income and firm size among the dimensions along which gaps persist. Rural communities can lag urban areas in connectivity, while limited experience or skills can make online services harder to use even when a network is available. Gender is another measured dimension: the International Telecommunication Union reported that in 2025, 77 per cent of men and 71 per cent of women worldwide used the Internet, a difference of about 280 million users. These figures describe Internet use, not every cause or form of digital exclusion.

Digital connection can help people obtain information, learn, find work, use health and public services, and take part in economic and civic life. But extending networks alone does not guarantee that everyone can use these opportunities or benefit equally. The World Bank's overview of Internet access emphasizes that affordability, skills and inclusive policies matter alongside infrastructure. When essential services are delivered online, unequal access or ability can create additional obstacles for people already facing economic or geographic disadvantages.

Efforts to narrow digital divides include expanding high-quality broadband at affordable prices, supporting digital skills, and designing online public services around the needs of different users. Measurement also needs to look beyond whether a connection exists: coverage, quality, affordability and people's ability to use services help show where barriers remain. Because the dimensions overlap, a single national access rate can conceal differences among regions, age groups, income levels or firms.