Last week, during a presentation, the presenter said, "The internet should be given to everyone for free." This question then sparked a hot debate throughout the class. I feel the access to the internet is not a problem for our society. The issue is that many people do not know how to effectively use it. Earlier in the semester we all saw the problems with the Ohio inner city schools in the same problems carry over to the rest of society. People need to be able to use the internet effectively and productively.
Access is not a problem for most people in America. The reason access isn't a problem is because most libraries across the nation provide free internet access to anyone. It is easier to get online at a library then it is to check out a book or even obtain a library card. A homeless man can have an email address without having a home computer or any funds to pay for one. This levels the playing field for all people because access is not an issue for nearly anyone living in a city or town across America.
The problem is not that people do not have access, but they do not how to operate the computer and the internet effectively. We watched the video on the Ohio schools where every kid in the wealthy school district had access to a computer at all times. We also saw the poor schools where one out-dated computer was shared by all the student body and the faculty. The children in the poor schools had never even been on a computer while children the same age in wealthy school districts had extensive knowledge on how to operate a computer. .
I know how these kids feel and I do know how to use a computer. During the discussion in class, two members were discussing many different aspects of computers and then internet and I had no idea what they were talking about. I felt lost and I have my own computer and use it often. I understood how the children in the inner city schools must feel overwhelmed when they try to learn all of the different aspects of computers and the internet.