ABSTRACT

This chapter presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book argues that social science should not only look at digital inequalities as a phenomenon that is based upon social inequalities and mirrors the social structure, but also at how social inequalities are further reinforced by unequal access to and use of the Internet. It aims not only to reflect on differences in terms of Internet access and use, but also to determine how such differences are influenced by the social strata, and to examine the extent to which they reinforce or mitigate the social stratification. It also argues that in order to understand more fully the inequalities (re)produced online we need to approach them using a multidimensional approach to social inequalities, acknowledging that social and digital inequalities mutually and reciprocally influence each other. The main factor preventing the adoption and use of information communication technologies (ICTs) is motivation.