Final answer:
The question addresses the digital divide, focusing on providing internet access to those without it. The issue affects various groups, primarily in rural and low-income urban areas. Solutions include infrastructure expansion, affordable technology access, and shared-access programs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The issue of people having no internet access is deeply intertwined with the concept of the digital divide, emphasizing the gap between those with and without access to digital technology and high-speed internet. This divide touches various groups disproportionately, often affecting rural communities, low-income urban areas, and certain minority groups. Addressing this challenge involves multilayered solutions including expansion of infrastructure, mobile technology, and affordable devices.
In rural parts of the country and in low-income urban areas, the lack of high-speed internet can hinder tasks that are crucial for empowerment and job opportunities. The Federal Communications Commission data in 2017 suggested that 21.3 million Americans lack access to high-speed internet, and this number might be an understatement. This parallels issues faced in communities globally, such as many African nations, where infrastructure is lacking, but mobile phone access has seen significant growth, changing the dynamics by providing a range of benefits from communication to banking.
While the use of smartphones has risen dramatically among minority groups, providing a valuable tool for connectivity, this does not replace the need for full computer and internet access. Tasks that are empowerment-oriented like resume updating and job application completion are more challenging on smartphones. Thus, internet access is not only about connectivity but also about the quality and capability of the technology to provide opportunities for advancement.
Ultimately, bridging the digital divide requires efforts in infrastructure development, support for shared-access programs like the Grameen Foundation's shared-phone program, keeping technology affordable, and ensuring that communities everywhere have the resources needed to fully utilize the internet not just for entertainment, but for essential life-improving tasks.