A new "digital divide"

We had a very interesting discussion in my Intro to Public Relations class today. Our topic was Public Relations and the Internet and we discussed how e-mail, blogs and other forms of internet media relations are coming more and more into the forefront.

One thing that really struck me during the lecture was the idea of this "digital divide" that is supposedly present in our society. I started thinking about it, and I came to the conclusion that the digital divide has changed to mean something else besides it's original connotation. Almost anyone who wants it has access to the Internet, at least in this country. Most libraries offer free Internet during operating hours, so even those who cannot afford computers or Internet access still can keep up with the new medium.

My thinking is that the new "digital divide" is defined by the different ways that people use the internet to communicate. Most people in my parents' generation are proficient in email, search engines, and online shopping, but probably are not involved in a whole lot of social media. My grandparents barely even know how to turn on a computer, let alone surf the web.

As more and more internet media venues develop, there is a fight to keep up with it all. So this digital divide becomes an issue of who is using what kind of media and for what purposes. Many companies are starting to use social media, but many more are still lagging behind in that area. Some are not even willing to try to use the new mediums to communicate and are satisfied with the ways with which everyone is familiar, such as print media. But as companies are striving to attract a younger generation, they are going to have to step over the digital divide and get their feet wet in this new phenomenon.