Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Hong Kong as well as any other country must address the deeper digital inequalities exposed by the coronavirus pandemic

More than access to computers and high-speed internet, the divide is in what you can do with the access, particularly in critical times, such as during the mask shortage, when the digitally able bought them online while the rest queued for hours, risking Covid-19

Other than in public health, the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the problems of the digital divide in our society. The coronavirus is highly infectious and more lethal than the common flu. As of March 26, it has infected more than 430,000 people worldwide, with over 20,000 deaths. Many nations and cities have ground to a halt, with students sent home to attend classes online.

The quality of education received through online classes depends very much on the home environment, computing equipment, and internet access speed, all of which are related to financial strengths. It tends to favour more resourceful families.

To help students in less-privileged families receive the full benefit of online classes, the government and some charitable organisations are extending their help. For example, the Community Care Fund offers subsidies to students from low-income families to buy computers, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club is giving out 100,000 high-speed mobile data SIM cards to needy schoolchildren.

But the digital divide is about more than access to computers and the internet. The divide also shows up in usage, where people with good access to computing devices and the internet refuse or do not know how to use these technologies in their daily life.



Many of these people still queue up at bank branches and use telephone banking, instead of self-service kiosks and internet banking. Some prefer cash transactions, even though credit cards are widely accepted and we have probably the largest variety of mobile wallets in the world. Despite the convenience of online shopping, it is shunned by many who think it is unsafe and unnecessary.

One example of this divide is when Covid-19 hit Hong Kong. By February, surgical masks were in acute shortage. People were desperate to buy surgical masks and in one incident, more than 10,000 queued up for hours, standing in line from Fanling to Sheung Shui. Long queues were often seen outside pharmacies elsewhere too.

However, many others bought their masks online. I realised I might need surgical masks on January 24 but by then, it was difficult to find them in the retail shops in Hong Kong. So I went online and placed my order with a seller in Japan which could not ship masks to Hong Kong at that time.

I then sent the masks to a consolidator in Japan, who repacked and shipped them to me in Hong Kong. All arrangements including payments and declarations were done online with the help of Google Translate as I do not read or write Japanese. I received my masks on February 10, without having to queue for hours or pay exorbitant prices.

I was not the only one ordering masks online. Most digitally-capable friends and online shopping veterans around me bought their masks online, mostly from other countries. Some people, I heard, had also ordered hand sanitisers and toilet paper from overseas sellers.

The big contrast in how people hunt for masks reflects a deeper inequality. People who lack digital skills are deprived of options. Computers and high-speed internet close the digital divide in terms of access but the more challenging divide in the society is the differential ability to exploit the power of the internet.

In an earlier study, we researched the adoption of the Do Not Call service in the United States, offered by the federal government. In the first 10 days, residents east of the Mississippi river could register only through the internet while residents in the west could register through either the internet or the telephone. We found the registration rate substantially lower in the east, implying that many preferred telephone registration.

This digital divide in usage needs to be better addressed because it can affect people’s lives at critical moments, such as during a global pandemic. Governments in many countries are advising that people work from home and practise social distancing and self-isolation. Such isolation can be facilitated if people know how to exploit the internet, for example, in ordering food and grocery supplies, in paying utility bills, and even in social gatherings.




Having thousands of people queuing on the streets is certainly not a good idea. Such crowds are conducive to virus transmission. They could have been avoided if the sellers and buyers made better use of the internet in allocation and distribution.

The internet is also useful for people in quarantine needing food and essential supplies.

The digital divide in usage affects not only individuals, but also organisations. In many jobs, working from home requires workers to access sensitive organisational or customer data remotely, which is often not welcomed by employers because of security concerns. Some employers also prefer not to let workers take sensitive documents home.

Practically, this means that some employees cannot discharge their duties when working from home. I know this is the case in some government offices, and organisations which have to process a large volume of customer or client data.



Obviously, data security is important and needs to be respected. However, we need to be aware that options are limited at critical times. Organisations ready for digital operation will gain a competitive advantage over those that are not, just as students who are accustomed to online classes have an edge over those who are not.

Note that this is a digital divide in usage, not access. Most organisations, including the government, have ample financial resources to procure computing equipment and high-speed internet access. Their incapability in supporting remote working is more a preparation issue than one of limited resources.

We must address the digital divide in usage. Designing easy-to-use digital applications helps bring individuals, especially those with less education and computer efficacy, on board. Similarly, having secure processes and protocols in place helps lift organisations’ ability to facilitate remote working.

We had the anti-extradition protests last year, and now a pandemic – we do not know when it will end. More challenges could well come soon due to climate change or other contingencies outside our control. Getting everyone digital-ready helps to ensure a more equal and a better world.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×