People who use the Internet regularly are exposed to a wide variety of topics, news and resources that are often taken for granted. People who can't afford a computer or Internet access, as well as those who don't know why they are valuable, are at risk of being left behind in the information age. This disparity is the driving force of underdeveloped nations, low-achieving students, and an under-prepared workforce. The digital divide must be bridged to allow the world to move forward on an equal footing. In the textbook Introduction to Digital Literacy, author Mark Bowles states: “It is vital to ensure that the world is not divided into two parts. -class society of "those who have information" and "those who have no information". In an important way, the effort to help people become digitally literate will ensure that this does not happen” (Bowles, 2013). Bowles believes digital literacy is the key to bridging the digital divide. Research presented in the text also indicates that people living in the United States with less than a high school education, families earning less than $30,000 a year, people with disabilities, and older adults are less likely to have Internet at home. (Bowles, 2013). The gap discussed in terms of the United States highlights that many jobs in developed nations require computer skills. Computers have quickly become, in historical terms, a vital part of everyday life. “In 1990, 22 percent of all homes in the United States had a personal computer. This percentage increased to 63% in 2001, and by 2004, nearly 75% of all Americans had access to the Internet in their homes” (Bowles, 2013). While this number is large, it indicates that 25% of Americans do not have… half the paper… needed to use a computer and take the steps necessary to access it. Simply giving everyone in the world a computer and the Internet will not close the gap between those who simply have no interest. References Bowles, M. (2013). Introduction to digital literacy. Bridgepoint Education. Retrieved from http://content.ashford.edu/books/AUINF103.13.1/File, T. (2013, May). Computer and Internet usage in the United States. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-569.pdfLensfeld, J. (2011). An econometric analysis of the sociodemographic topology of the digital divide in Europe. Information Society, 27(3), 141-157. doi: 10.1080/01972243.2011.566745 Paravil, G. (2005). The digital divide and increasing returns: contradictions of informational capitalism. Information Society, 21(1), 41-51. doi: 10.1080/01972240590895900