Digital divide

The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI, for its acronym in Spanish), is in Mexico the body in charge of collecting and spreading data concerning the population, it goes from social data to the existing resources in the territory. The information offered by INEGI helps to know the situation of the country according to a specific issue. In this case, the data to be analyzed are about Information and Communication Technologies, specifically their use and availability.

    For example, the following table with information related to how ICTs are used in Mexican homes:

It is observed there are slight increases and decreases in the presence of televisions and computers at home in the registered years, but the Internet has only been increasing. These data are before the situation with COVID-19, but from that time it was necessary to have internet at home. This means that Mexican families have the need to have internet access at home. 

    The same happens with people who are Internet users and such as those who have a cell phone and with those who have made transactions by Internet, they have increased over the years. However, the possibility of accessing the Internet outside the home has decayed.

    In general, if the data is taken according to homes, it is remarkable how there are still homes that do not have access to the Internet. In Mexico there are more than 126 million inhabitants, and just over half do have access to these technologies. 

    To conclude, as the services that ICTs offer expand, people find it necessary to obtain them. However, there is still that sector where there are people who do not have access to them. A new inequality has emerged. There are those who can make use of ICT, but others who do not have the same possibility.

Reference: https://www.inegi.org.mx/temas/ticshogares/