Digital Inclusion
Introduction
As a metropolis, Hong Kong is moving towards a knowledge-based economy. Such new economy has been accompanied with rapid development in information and communication technology (ICT). Most of the Hong Kong people have opportunities to get access to computers and internet. However, a considerable number of disadvantaged and deprived people have still been left behind. In the Government paper on “Digital 21: IT Strategy”, bridging digital divide is one of the top priorities.
Digital Divide in Hong Kong
Some vital statistics about Hong Kong (2011) are listed below:
|
Population: |
7.10M |
|---|---|
|
Per captia GDP: |
HKD 266,026 |
|
Households: |
2.40M |
|
Internet Users Aged 10+: |
4.34M (69.4%) |
Though Hong Kong is highly digitalized, the following statistics revealed that digital divide might have occurred in Hong Kong. The following tables show statistics on the gap on ICT usage between different disadvantaged groups and the mainstream community.
|
Monthly household income (HK$) |
Rate (%) |
|---|---|
|
No income |
51.9 |
|
$1 - $4,999 |
15.7 |
|
$5,000 - $ 9,999 |
46.3 |
|
$10,000 - $14,999 |
65.4 |
|
$15,000 - $19,999 |
67.7 |
|
$20,000 - $29,999 |
73.1 |
|
$30,000 - $39,999 |
78.6 |
|
$40,000 - $49,999 |
84.9 |
|
$50,000 and above |
87.2 |
|
Age group |
Rate (%) |
|---|---|
|
10-14 |
99.7 |
|
15-17 |
99.9 |
|
18-24 |
99.6 |
|
25-34 |
98.9 |
|
35-44 |
87.9 |
|
45-54 |
66.9 |
|
55-64 |
39.2 |
|
65 or above |
8.2 |
| Education Level |
Rate (%) |
|---|---|
|
Primary Education or below |
23.5 |
|
Secondary / Matriculation |
77.9 |
|
Tertiary Education or above |
97.4 |
