MEDIA AND

INFORMATION
LITERACY
Lesson 1: Digital Divide, Computer Addiction
and Cyber Bullying
What is It
Digital Divide (DD)
Are all members in the family having skills in digital manipulation? How your parent does
enroll you in the school this year? In what way, you communicate your family and friends
afar from you?
Some of you may answers differently like not all members have the ability to use
technology while other family members can, some experience enrolling via online while
others went to their respective barangay to get the enrolment forms and lastly, others may
be through letters or basic phone call while other can have video call as a form of
communication. These are simple scenarios that we experience of what we called digital
divide.
Digital divide pertains to the social and economic imbalance of the opportunities to
access to, use of or knowledge of information and communication technology (ICTs). It
is referring to a gap between sector in the community who can access, has the skills and
has desire to the internet and those who cannot. The unequal opportunity of the internet
acquisition is caused by the differences of skills, motivations and preferences of use
based on category such as personal category (gender, age, race/ethnicity, personality,
intelligence and Health), positional category (education, occupation, household and
nation) and the resources category (economic, social and cultural capital) status of a
person. The divides arise due to lack of knowledge on how to manipulate the technology
and understanding of its benefits as well and some cannot afford to access because the
income is low.
We can able to overcome this phenomenon by:
1. lowering the cost of internet connection in the house
2.a law should be created to make all public places should have free internet access set by
the government.
3. the different LGUs and NGOs should conduct a forum about the advantage of technology
and how to use the advance technology in rural areas.
4. the parents should be given with trainings related to technology by the schools and
libraries.
Computer Addiction (CD)
Internet is significant to man’s life. It widens the spectrum of communication and accessing
information. It’s easy to connect to the people far from us.
Let me ask you these following questions.
1. Are you absentminded because you are thinking of an online activity?
2. Do you spend more time in the internet before you are satisfied?
3. Have you tried to stop using the internet (like playing online games) chatting but fail to do it?
4. Is your education, relationship of the family and friends or works affected by using the internet?
5. Is your behavior becoming moody, irritable or depressed if you cannot use the internet?
6. Are you escaping meal or sleep late in using the internet?
7. Does internet give you comfort in times of problem or having bad mood?
Types of Computer Addiction
1. Information Overload - excessive online surfing resulted to inefficient at work and have
less family interconnection
2. Compulsion- over time spent in online activities like gaming, bartering of stocks,
gambling which cause to a problem at work
3. Cybersex addiction- exceed time spent in surfing porn sites that could interfere one’s
relationship
4. Cyber- relationship- excessive time spent in social networking sites to make relationship
online than spending time to real persons like family and friends
Different Symptoms of a computer addict person
1. Emotional Symptoms- feeling of guilt, anxiety, depression, dishonesty, feeling of great
happiness or excitement (euphoric) in front of the computer, defensive, distress, escaping
of work, isolation and cannot follow schedule
2. Physical Symptoms - backpain, headache, increase or decrease of weight, sleep disorder,
carpal tunnel syndrome, blurred or strain visions Computer Addiction can be prevented
through: 1. set limit in using computers and doing online activities. 2. talk to your family
and friends and mingle with them most of the time.
3. organize a non-computer related activity like sports 4. place your gadgets away from you
when not needed
Cyber Bullying
In this time, social media is significant tool like in communication, and updating
information.
As the result from the survey of Stairway foundation reported in a news that 80% of young
people ages 7 to 16 are victims of cyber bullying through social media.
The term bullying “refers to any severe, or repeated use by one or more students of a
written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination
thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the
latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a
hostile environment at school for the other students; infringing on the rights of another
students at school; such as, but not limited the following:
1. Any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim like punching, pushing,
shoving, kicking, slapping, tickling, headlocks, inflicting school pranks, teasing, fighting
and the use of available objects as weapons;
2. Any Act that causes damage to a victim’s psyche and /or emotional wellbeing;
3. Any slanderous statement or accusation that causes the victim undue emotional distress
like directing foul language or profanity at the target, name - calling, tormenting and
commenting negatively on victim’s looks, clothes and body.” (Republic Act No. 10627-
Anti-Bullying Act) Bullying happens in face to face (like in school) while cyber-bullying
happens in a cyberspace (means in interconnected digital technology).
What is cyber bullying?
Cyber bullying is a type bullying done online with the use of technology like
computers, laptops, and cellphone that can destroy the physical and emotional aspect
of the victim (called as bullied) by the one who does the act (refers as bully). This
problem is associated with the use of internet and different platforms like text
messaging, chatting, emails, websites and social networking sites. The different
forms of cyberbullying are posting shameful pictures or videos in social media,
sending threatening or hurtful messages through chatting or text messages. The
bullying act happens
Cyberbullying can be prevented by doing the following:
1. Be optimistic person.
2. Share to the person whom you can trust with.
3. Keep your password by yourself. Don’t share it.
4. Always check the content before posting or sharing.
5. Always log out your account after using.
6. Respect and love other people and yourself.