Affordable Broadband: Bridging the Global Digital Divide, A Social Justice Approach

Access to broadband Internet is becoming a necessity for obtaining vital information, resources, and services regarding healthcare, education, employment, and political participation. However, forces comprising the broadband digital divide perpetuate morally objectionable conditions prohibiting disadvantaged individuals from accessing online resources important to their well-being and human rights. Based on Rawls’ theory of justice and fairness, and Sen’s capability approach, this paper is the first to empirically examine the impact of economic, social and political dimensions of social justice and individual capabilities on mobile broadband affordability in 146 countries. Multiple regression analysis shows that high-speed broadband is not as affordable to individuals in 104 developing countries that have higher levels of income inequality, lower levels of income nationally, institutions that demonstrate less democratic governance, and less competition among telecommunications providers. In 42 developed nations, those with less affordable broadband also have lower levels of national income and institutions that practice less democratic governance. These results suggest that bridging the affordability gap in the global digital divide from a social justice perspective will require the collaboration of multiple stakeholders, particularly telecommunications providers and democratic government agents to advance principles and practices of inclusiveness.