Final answer:
Microsoft announced plans in 2017 to help bridge the digital divide by providing high-speed Internet access to underserved areas. This divide, more evident in rural and low-income urban communities, reflects the unequal access to technology across different demographics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2017, Microsoft aimed to combat the issue of the digital divide by announcing plans to use innovative solutions to bring high-speed Internet access to underserved areas.
This digital divide refers to the gap in access to technology and Internet services between different races, classes, and geographic locations, which is a significant concern in both rural and low-income urban areas. With the emergence of the Internet in the 90s and the subsequent need for high-speed connections that followed, communities without the necessary infrastructure upgrades were left behind, widening this gap.
To address this, various non-profit organizations have taken steps to provide computer science education and equipment to those with limited access, while also working to increase diversity in technology-related fields.