Digital Divide: Impact of Access

Abstract Access to digital media is defined as the full process of appropriation of technology by users. It starts with motivation and attitudes and moves on to the process of finding physical access. Then, having learned sufficient digital skills, users will realize a particular frequency and diversity of usage of digital media. In all these phases significant divides are observed. After the year 2000 the importance of digital divides shifted from physical access to skills and usage. However, the main media effects of all these divides are unequal benefits and unequal participation in society.