Ethics and the Digital Divide

The digital divide is a term used to denote inequalities in access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). Despite the existence of numerous publications concerning the digital divide, and the obvious importance of the subject area, there has, to date, been almost no research published on philosophical and normative aspects of the subject. This book fills that gap. Emma Rooksby poses the intriguing question: 'Are digital divides unjust?' The key aims of the book are: to provide a broad overview of the phenomena collectively known as digital divides, at both national and international levels, and to develop a clear and well-reasoned account of the morally significant aspects of digital divides to develop a philosophical framework, based on John Rawls theory of justice, in which to evaluate digital divides to illustrate the relationship between inequalities in access to ICTs and broader issues of social justice, at both national and global levels. This book will be if interest to a broad range of philosophers, as well as to the general reader who has some interest in information technology and/or digital divides.

1.Introduction 2. Characterising Digital Divides 3.How to Argue about Digital Divides 4.The Nature of the Disagreement 5.Global Justice and the Digital Divide

Emma Rooskby is Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Australian National University. She is also affiliated with Charles Sturt University, Australia. Her previous book, Email and Ethics, is also available from Routledge.