本研究企圖運用跨國資料探討「數位落差」（digital divide）現象，並檢測網際網路是否為數位資訊傳遞的主要管道。過去研究藉用「網路進用」（internet access）來判定數位資訊的擁有（have）與未擁有（have not）難以一窺數位落差之全貌，在於數位資訊的獲取管道並非單指網際網路，舉凡資訊通信科技（information and communication technologies，ICTs）的發展而導致數位資訊的分配不均方為造成數位落差的主因。本研究藉由人口統計變數，如性別、年齡、所得與教育程度，來說明各族群數位知識程度之差異，並試圖解釋受訪者態度造成數位落差的可能性。本研究另設計一份數位知識評量量表（digital knowledge index，DKI），於台灣、美國、中國大陸以及印尼四個國家的都市與鄉村地區進行訪問，以探討城鄉之間以及國際之間數位落差的現象。結果發現，各國城鄉之間在教育程度、所得以及對數位科技的知識上有明顯差距，而在國與國之間也因為本身數位科技開發程度的不一，存在著嚴重的國際數位落差。 This paper uses a cross-country sample of survey data to reinvestigate the determinants of digital divide. The broad set of variables allows for comparisons of the relative differences both nationally and internationally. We design a digital knowledge index (DKI), a measure for monitoring inequalities of the digital knowledge among people. We find that the digital divide exists between cities and across countries. Demographic variables such as age, education, and income are found to be statistically significant. Besides, people who have higher interest in digital technology tend to have higher scores in DKI. An interesting finding is that Internet access is not a significant source in achieving the digital knowledge. Finally, we imply that technological endowments could give rise to the digital knowledge discrepancies among nations.
