As defined by Randal D. Pinkett, Ph.D.
Building Community Technology (BCT) Partners, Inc.
NSBE T.O.R.C.H. National Advisory Committee

The "digital divide" is the phrase commonly used to describe the gap between those who benefit from new technologies and those who do not. The phrase was first popularized by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce in their 1995 report Falling Through the Net: A Survey of the “Have Nots” in Rural and Urban America. Thereafter, the NTIA has released three additional reports: Falling Through the Net II: New Data on the Digital Divide in 1998, Falling Through the Net III: Defining the Digital Divide in1999 and Falling Through the Net IV: Toward Digital Inclusion in 2000. In their most recent report, the NTIA wrote:

“A digital divide remains or has expanded slightly in some cases, even while Internet access and computer ownership are rising rapidly for almost all groups. For example, the August 2000 data show that noticeable divides still exist between those with different levels of income and education, different racial and ethnic groups, old and young, single and dual-parent families, and those with and without disabilities… Until everyone has access to new technology tools, we must continue to take steps to expand access to these information resources.”