digital divide

American  

[dij-i-tl di-vahyd] / ˈdɪdʒ ɪ tl dɪˈvaɪd /

noun

1. the socioeconomic and other disparities between those people who have opportunities and skills enabling them to benefit from digital resources, especially the internet, and those who do not have these opportunities or skills.

   programs that help to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor countries.

---

digital divide British  

noun

1. informal the gap between those people who have internet access and those who do not

---

digital divide Cultural  

1. A term that describes the division of the world into two camps, those who have access to the Internet and other advanced information technologies and those who don't. The term highlights the issue that those who do not have access to such technology are potentially destined to futures where they will be at an economic disadvantage.

---

Discover More

In domestic political terms in the United States, the divide is between educated, well-off members of society and those who are less well-off.

In geopolitical terms, the divide is between the developed and the developing nations, or, roughly speaking, between the North and the South.

Etymology

Origin of digital divide

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

He also worked with 35mm cameras and digital devices, but maintained that photography couldn’t capture nature the way painting could.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

OTTAWA—Apple and Google warned Canadian lawmakers that they risk putting their citizens’ privacy and security at risk under a government proposal to give police access to information on their digital devices.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Although scores were, notably, still higher than amongst those who used no digital devices at all.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Ultimately, Turner says, young people are resilient — their brains are still growing — and intentional parenting goes a long way toward offsetting the effects of digital devices and social media.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

He deems young people who are raised on digital devices “Generation D.”

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel