The numbers alone are enough. One billion people globally are hungry and one child dies every few seconds from poverty, lack of clean water, hunger or preventable diseases.
About half of the global population remains offline. It may seem like everyone has a phone or a laptop or both, but the digital gap is a real phenomenon. Most of the disadvantaged individuals live in developing countries where the female, illiterate and elderly populations are among those most affected.
The large offline population misses out on the transformative power of the internet. These people miss out on education, employment opportunities, other forms of self-help and the spread of democracy. The internet can also spur economic growth and innovation. It can stabilize the future for these individuals.
The Digital GAP Act, recently passed by the U.S. House, has the power to provide internet access to 1.5 million people. If passed, 1.5 million more people could then experience the transformative power of the internet. Not only would the Digital GAP Act change the lives of 1.5 million people in the developing world, but it supports the United States’ goal to address global poverty and promote democracy worldwide. It also would open new markets for U.S. companies.
I urge Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey to support the Digital GAP Act and hope others will urge them, too.
GWENDOLIN ANN SCHEMM
Baldwin Borough
First Published: July 25, 2019, 4:00 a.m.
