الفجوة الرقمية: استخدام الإنترنت في المجتمع العربي في إسرائيل

Abstract

society in Israel. This pioneering study deals with the gap in the use of the Internet among the various sectors of the Arab society in Israel.
The research is framed in the “Diffusion and Innovation” theory, which claims that early adopters of innovations achieve higher socio-economic status than late adopters of these innovations (Rogers, 2003). Rogers also shows that the cultural factors of the various societies or groups affect the decision to adopt these innovations. The Internet technology is one of the innovations dealt with in this research. The spread and use of the Internet in the Arab society in Israel is the focal point of the research.
First, the research shows the digital divide between the Arab and Jewish societies in the country, based on data retrieved from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS, 2005).
Second, the research describes the use of both the computer and the Internet in the various segments of the Arab society itself, revealing the digital divide within these segments, based on data provided by the “Rakaz” center, which conducts socio-economic surveys of the Palestinians in Israel.
The findings of the research clearly reveal the spread of the Internet in the Arab society in Israel. They also provide an opportunity to follow up, expand and develop the use of this technology by comparing the findings of this research with the findings of future research. It also allows the comparison of the Arab minority in Israel with other minorities in the world. Based on the findings of this research, interested associations and institutions will adopt more suitable developmental plans to narrow the gap in the use of the Internet and computers within the various sectors of the Arab society in the country