Introduction
The internet is becoming more important than ever as the world transitions into the virtual realm. For instance, the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) has improved the operations of businesses that have undergone digitization (Petrillo et al., 2018). In addition, the internet has social media that allows individuals to connect with others in any part of the world. Therefore, the internet has made humans’ lives easier and improved access to more opportunities. However, people in many regions worldwide do not have equal access to digital services. This text will analyze the impact of digital inequality in the East Asian region, where China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan are located. For a broader context, the text will discuss the opportunities and challenges of accessing digital services. In addition, it will analyze the digital divide and health disparities in China and the digital gender gap in Japan.
The opportunities and challenges of access to digital services
Opportunities
Some of the opportunities that any community can encounter when accessing digital services in any region are employment, means of income, accessing many educational facilities, improvement of healthcare, and better financial services. First, the internet provides many employment opportunities from any region globally. Therefore, people can look for jobs in any region, provided they have the required skills to deliver when they are employed. In addition, the internet has made it easier for people to be interviewed. For instance, people can use Zoom to set up video calls for their interviews (Oliffe et al., 2021). Also, the internet has made it easier for people to improve their skill sets while still working. As such, one becomes more knowledgeable in their field, giving them the credibility to get promoted in the future. Second, apart from employment, people can make money from the internet. For instance, one can become a content creator on YouTube. Also, several social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, provide many opportunities for internet content creators to make money.
In addition, one can also sell their goods on the internet by using digital platforms and services that can promote their commodities. Many people are self-employed by having the niche they provide to their customers through the internet. Third, many digital services can provide access to many educational facilities. For instance, lecturers can use learning management systems such as Blackboard and Moodle to improve their services. Also, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the World Health Organization(WHO) imposed lockdowns on affected countries, the internet made it easier for students to continue with their studies through virtual learning platforms (Adedoyin and Soykan, 2020). Fourth, the internet has made it improved the delivery of healthcare services. For instance, electronic medical records (EMRs) have improved the efficiency of hospitals in storing, maintaining, and retrieving patients’ information. In addition, the internet has made it easier for sick individuals to book appointments with doctors. Therefore, individuals with emergencies and serious illnesses can be relieved that they do not have to queue to access medical resources.
Also, due to the improvement of digital services and technology, hospitals can use 3D printing to create physical replicas of anatomical structures. Therefore, individuals do not have to worry about the obstacles involved in organ transplants. Finally, the internet has improved the efficiency of financial services globally. Many mobile applications, such as Cash App, have made it easier to transfer money to anyone with a registered account, regardless of location (Reaves et al., 2017). Also, digitization has made it efficient for banks to learn more about their clients, thus personalizing their financial services according to the clients’ preferences. Additionally, banks have websites where clients can reach out in case of any mistakes or queries regarding financial transactions. Banks can also send updates to clients through e-mails about the latest changes or new financial services. Therefore, the internet makes the clients trust the bank since it provides a platform for communication. Regardless of these opportunities, there are also many challenges involved in accessing digital services.
Challenges
Some of the challenges of accessing digital services in any region relate to income inequalities, disparities in internet speed, location, slow development, and distribution of infrastructure. First, one of the main challenges causing digital inequalities is due to income inequalities. The rich people of any region have the money to access proper digital services. However, most of the middle-class and poor individuals of any region might not access decent digital services. Therefore, rich people have access to many opportunities since they have better digital services than the middle class and the poor (Katz et al., 2017). Second, another challenge individuals encounter when accessing digital services relates to disparities in internet speed. When individuals can access fast internet services, they can access more in the online world. However, they lose out on many online opportunities when they cannot access fast internet services. Additionally, slow internet services do not allow companies to increase their productivity. This is because fast internet services make it easier for businesses to increase efficiency and effectively meet their productivity requirements.
As mentioned, in the 4IR, businesses that have undergone digitization are bound to succeed under the appropriate execution of operations. Therefore, businesses that access slow internet services cannot produce the required levels that ensure success in the 4IR. Third, another challenge that individuals might encounter when accessing digital services relates to their location. For instance, developed countries such as the US and the UK have access to more developed internet services than less developed countries such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Also, in countries that have access to digital services, there are remote areas that do not have a strong internet connection (Salemink et al., 2017). Fourth, another challenge that might be attributed to digital inequalities relates to slow development. For instance, most urban areas are developed, and thus, the residents can access decent digital services. However, the same cannot be said for rural areas, which are not as developed. The slow development of rural areas undermines the necessity of the internet, and on top of that, most rural residents do not know how to use the internet.
Consequently, most people in rural areas do not have access to the internet, and if they do, these services are not as decent as their urban counterparts. Since individuals learn a lot from the internet, those in urban areas become more knowledgeable than those living in rural areas. Finally, another challenge involved in accessing digital services related to the distribution of infrastructure. For instance, consider an area that has hospitals, schools, businesses, banks, developed roads, and other crucial facilities. These areas are bound to have decent digital services since the individuals residing in these regions require the internet to access the available infrastructure. However, when an area has few or no facilities, it might be difficult to access decent digital services that can bring development (Otioma et al., 2019). Therefore, the internet provides many opportunities to those who can access decent digital services in any region. Below, this text will analyze two case studies to show the impact of digital inequality in East Asia, specifically in China and Japan.
Case study one: The digital divide and health disparities in China
As mentioned, regions that have access to decent digital services have many opportunities to improve their healthcare facilities, especially in the 4IR, which focuses on digitization. The internet has also made it easier for sick individuals to access medical services. Nowadays, one does not have to go to the hospital to book an appointment with the doctor. Therefore, the internet and technology have made the healthcare industry of many countries improve the services they provide to their patients. However, many regions have digital inequalities that affect access to healthcare resources and facilities. Hong et al. (2017) conducted a study to explore how digital inequality affects China’s healthcare sector. The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the digital divide on the older population aged 45 years and above. The study looked at access to mobile phones, determinants of access at the individual and community levels, and how access to mobile phones impacts health outcomes.
It is crucial to remember that when individuals and households have access to mobile phones with the ability to connect to the internet, they can find up-to-date medical information. Also, mobile technologies provide opportunities for individuals to access information that can help them adopt a healthy lifestyle. Consequently, these individuals have the potential to improve their socioeconomic status (SES) since they are healthy. Some of the existing predictors of the digital divide causing health disparities are age, education, income, and gender (Huxhold et al., 2020). In addition, many developed countries that have mobile technologies still have an immense digital divide. For instance, China has been at the forefront of manufacturing mobile phones, and the government has worked to ensure that all regions can access the internet and have digital gadgets. In the study, at least 6% of the middle-aged and elderly Chinese used the internet, and at least 80% owned a phone.
Therefore, this implies that for old Chinese residents aged at least 45 years, only a small portion knows to use the internet, and most own mobile phones. The study also found out that internet usage in this demographic was associated with higher education levels, urban residence, living with children, and income levels. This implies that the individuals who can access the internet are most likely to benefit from the medical information they find online. However, those who cannot access the internet and have no mobile phone have fewer chances of accessing any medical information online, let alone benefiting from it (Alvarez-Galvez et al., 2020). Also, one’s geographical location in China determines the effectiveness of the mobile technologies one can access. For instance, a significant portion of urban Chinese residents is more tech-savvy than their rural counterparts. Therefore, their mobile technologies can help them more than those in rural locations with regard to their medical necessities.
However, many rural Chinese residents, especially those aged 45 years and above, might not be conversant with how the internet works. Consequently, they might not encounter opportunities that might prompt them to improve their healthcare from the digital realm. It is crucial to remember that one’s community SES determines their individual health. In most cases, individuals with a respectable SES have better health than those with a low rank in their SES. In this study, individuals with a respectable SES (aged at least 45 years) can use the internet and own a mobile phone (Hong et al., 2017). Consequently, they can access digital services that link them to quality healthcare resources in China. On the other hand, individuals with a low rank in their SES might have a phone and do not know how to use the internet, or they might lack access to both. Thus, they might not access digital services that link them to quality healthcare resources.
Case study two: The digital gender gap in Japan
Gender equality is also an interesting phenomenon to consider with regard to accessing digital services. In the 4IR, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have changed at a fascinating pace. Therefore, as the world is getting more digitized, our educational needs, economic strategies, legal frameworks, and societal structures are bound to change. Kuroda et al. (2019) analyze the impact of gender disparities on digital inequality in Japan. Japan, like many countries, is dominated by a patriarchal society. Thus, men dominate most of the resources and facilities in the community. The internet also somewhat reflects male domination in the digital world. For instance, men in Japan who are aged 60 years and above are more likely to access the internet than women of the same age (Statista Research Department, 2022). One of the main targets in Japan’s fifth sustainable development goal is to enhance the use of the internet and digital technologies for women’s empowerment.
Access is an essential component for getting included in the digital realm. However, there are many societal constructs that present many barriers for women looking to penetrate certain sectors and opportunities, such as education and employment. Women have less access to the internet than men in Japan, and they also do not benefit from it as much as men. This is the case for women with particular characteristics – those who are elderly, living in rural areas, refugees, and those who are disabled. In addition, women globally are 12% less likely to use the internet than men, and they also cannot access a mobile phone. In low and middle-income countries, women are at least 10% less likely to own a phone than men, and at least 25% of them do not use the internet. Therefore, Mariscal et al. (2019) argue that there is a huge digital gender gap that puts women in an unpleasant position that might ruin their opportunities for women’s employment.
In addition, most of the developers of digital technologies in Japan are men. Therefore, most women might not have a deeper insight into how digital technologies work. This explains why there is also a huge digital gender divide in Japan and also other countries. Girls in the Group of Twenty (G20) countries (Japan included) are far behind boys in terms of completing their education. Also, boys surpass them in skills involving science, mathematics, and ICT, which are essential in the digital realm (Kuroda et al., 2019). Therefore, women do not stand a chance when it comes to male domination in Japanese digital spaces since they are not credible in terms of involvement in designs and necessary skills. Also, the stereotypical perceptions of the Japanese community present many barriers for women to access helpful digital services. Therefore, women are not deemed capable of handling internet-related activities in Japan since men are more credible than them in that respect.
In the Japanese technology sector, men outnumber women at every level, that is, from the topmost executives to regular employees. For instance, women only make up at least 20% of technology executives. Therefore, since women are underrepresented in leadership in Japan’s technology sector, they are also not involved in the decision-making and planning of digital services. Consequently, this reinforces the idea that many Japanese digital services might not have the necessary requirements and priorities for women. This is because there are fewer women in leadership, implying that they cannot fight for the improvement of gender equality in Japan’s technology sector. Therefore, many women in Japan, especially those who are elderly, might be hugely affected by the country’s digital gender divide. It seems like the patriarchal dynamic has made its way to the internet, and this leaves women in the dark (Mariscal et al., 2019), since they have less chances of empowerment in a world that is getting more dependent on technology.
Conclusion
Therefore, access is one of the main determinants of digital inequality in East Asia. The population that can access the internet can encounter more opportunities than those who cannot. Also, location is a crucial determinant of digital inequality in East Asia. In the topic’s context, the main aspect of the digital divide in East Asia (and most regions) involves the urban and rural areas. In urban areas, the residents are more tech-savvy than those in rural areas (Salemink et al., 2017). Therefore, urban residents are more likely to benefit from the internet than their rural counterparts since they know how to use digital services to their benefit. Thus, rural residents are in danger of being left behind in the digital era. Other factors, such as education, income, and marriage, are also predictors of digital inequality.
As mentioned, China’s digital divide has caused health disparities in the country. Therefore, individuals aged at least 45 years who do not use the internet and have no phone might not access useful medical information online. Thus, future electronic health (eHealth) programs in China must consider the accessibility of mobile phones to develop appropriate resources for various demographics (Hong et al., 2017). On the other hand, the second case study has shown the impact of the digital gender divide in Japan. The Japanese government can work with global stakeholders to eliminate any biases in the country’s technological sector. Also, the government can formulate strategies that will ultimately propagate women into more leadership positions in technology. In conclusion, many countries have digital inequalities that must be addressed to provide equal opportunities for everyone on the internet.
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