The key is access to technology and the internet for all, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the disadvantaged in our communities are not further impeded

The internet is still today the technology which is capturing the attention of everyone. It is attracting over 11,000 new adults each day in Britain with 8.1 million using it on a regular basis (Computer Almanac).

New technology such as the internet and related activities are the fastest growing source of jobs in most developed countries. For example, 90% of new jobs in the UK require some computer skills, but 52% of lower socio-economic groups describe their computing knowledge as non-existent. So the importance of social inclusion and the danger of new technology creating a "digital divide" between the computer haves and have-nots is ever greater.

The term "digital divide" describes the gap between internet and computer usage between the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, people who live in cities and people who live in rural areas, and between whites and blacks and minorities.

A recent report on this phenomenon (US Commerce Department, Dec. 1999) suggests that the digital divide is a demonstration of the racial and economic inequalities in the US that subsisted years before the Information Age. The overwhelming concern is that the Black community must not allow a digital divide to open up between it and others. Though easily said, what must be done to ensure Black and other, perhaps less fortunate, communities stay abreast of developments?

The key is access to technology and the internet for all, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the disadvantaged in our communities are not further impeded. The second is representation on the internet, in the sense - where my people at?

Not long ago, lack of access to technology, and arguably the main barrier to accessing the internet - cost - hindered the momentum needed to power up the development of the internet in Britain. Most argued that lack of access and cost meant that the Black community and to a large extent those from lower socio-economic groups would be isolated from the internet revolution, which will further create a whole new underclass of under-privileged. But that is not the case any longer. Today, access to the internet is available at local libraries, schools, colleges, universities, not to mention internet cafes all free or at minimal cost.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) say that by next year 300 million people will be using the internet. In Britain people are using the internet to communicate, exchange information, shop and learn. A £252 million plan to narrow the technology gap between those in work and the unemployed is in place. In schools, innovative and practical ways of using the internet in the classroom are being drawn up. Driving this interest is pupils who now have modern computers and software at home, use the internet regularly from home, and expect to do so at school as well. In fact, a recent survey of 10 to 16-year-olds suggests that schoolchildren from all kinds of backgrounds found learning about the internet and technology more fun than traditional subjects. Notably, over half already believe the internet has more to offer in their learning development than books. And almost all questioned would want more use of the internet in between lessons.

Whatever their size, Black-owned businesses like any others must adopt and use the global networked business model. Simply, this means strategically using information and communications to build a network of strong, interactive relationships with all key constituencies. Here, there is no need for a network of expensive distributors. It is straight to the consumer be it business or individual. For businesses, the wave, it would seem, of e-shoppers buying from e-commerce sites is becoming more ethnically diverse with recent research suggesting that at least in the US blacks are the fastest growing group of online users (Forrester) and are more likely than the general population to purchase goods online. The WTO suggests that this new way of doing business, i.e. e-commerce transactions, will be worth $300 billion by next year.

Today, even politicians talk of opening up the digital democracy to allow online voting while new buzzwords, e-commerce, e-trade, e-trepreneur, e-finance, e-shopping define who we are, what we do, and how we do it in this new age of the connected. These developments are welcomed and define a new future for us all.

Access to, and use of, technology in itself is not enough. Representation of the Black community on the internet is key. Sites and service providers that actually own part of the infrastructure and provide content and services relevant to the Black community must make themselves visible.

One need not to be reminded that while the role of diverse cultures to the economy is crucial and most business activities depend on them, our experience of advertising, newspapers, magazines, and even radio show that their owners - majority of them from other cultures - have failed to reflect black Britain. This would seem to apply to the internet and shows that essentially there is a cultural practices gap in the new electronic networks.

Yet the internet may still be the saviour. With its relatively low level of entry, the Internet is one possible platform on which the Black community or at least the younger, more nimble individuals and companies from the community more able to understand where the internet market is heading can play a critical part in addressing the non-representation or misrepresentation issues that the community has hitherto faced - and in some cases, come to accept because there has been no immediate, cheap, yet effective alternative.

As an example, one of the main ingredients that keeps a community in check and aware of its surroundings is news or information. This main ingredient has been admirably provided to the community for years, though not at the right time. With community publications published weekly or monthly, there exists a time lag from fresh news story to coverage in the papers a good few days later at which time it would have become in a sense, old news. That means that the publications react too late and serves to hinder our empowerment. After all, information is power. It also means that the community is disposed to being reactive, rather than proactive.

Black Britain, the wholly black owned and run UK internet service and network of websites (www.blackbritain.co.uk and AOL Keyword BlackBritain) - now Britain's biggest black-owned commercial internet service - whose news service has run daily since inception aims to eventually deliver news hourly, ensuring that key information reaches the community at the right time - now - not later.

With internet access increasingly possible and costs fast decreasing and credible sites with good affinity content emerging, the Black community must not allow itself to be left behind in the internet revolution.

As US Commerce Secretary William Daley says: "If we don't close the digital divide, the digital divide will cheat the potential of this country." All countries must share this sentiment. Otherwise, there is a real danger that the new technology could create new barriers, which would exacerbate prevailing disadvantages.