Two lies in 'digital age' prophecies

- How we can overcome barriers between

women(workers) and cyberspace?

Sita

(Currently in masters program in sociology, Yonsei University)

I. Introduction:

Many things hidden in prophecies of 'digital age' Nowadays everybody is talking about "the digital age." But in the much-hyped talks about the digital age, many things are omitted or hidden. Discussions about the digital age are full of hyperbolic prophecies: In the coming age computers will be all-important to all of us and cyperspace will be another lifespace, where we will spend most of our time.

I would like to raise two questions on such prophecies on the digital age. First, do these prophecies assume that everyone can access to cyberspace? However in reality there are many women who have never heard of cyberspace itself. Second, what do they mean when they say "computers will be all-important to all of us." As the hyperbolic prophecies point out, we really need computers? Or can cyberspace provide us what we really want?

Seeking to find answers to these questions are crucial to us, women. If we don't raise questions on these hidden assumptions behind prophecies on the digital age, there's no doubts that inequality in real life is to be extended to inequality in cyberspace.

II. Few 'women' in cyberspace:

Walls women run against in cyberspace and 'can do lies'

It is well known fact that of all Internet navigators and electronic mail users, women account only 30 percent. Internet domain registration as of July 1999 in Korea shows a serious gender-gap, with women registers only 7.9 percent and men registers 92.1 percent. What caused the deep gender-gap? It is not simple question to answer. Financial difficulties not allowing women to buy personal computer and fees for using e-mail networks. Discrimination against women in the process of education on how to operate computers and how to log on to cyberspace is also cited as a major reason for women less familiar with cyberspace than men. Most importantly sometimes hostile, abusive and male-dominated culture in cyberspace keeps women out of cyberspace.

1. Economic and social inequality: ' I don't have a PC'

It may sound surprising to many but the prime reason for women not to be able to access to cyberspace is that they have no PC. This means that much-touted government's campaign to provide less expensive PCs to the lower class people failed to reach have-nots, especially women workers. "Pauperization of women" is taking place across the nation. A recent survey on gender-gap in annual income revealed that average income of women is only 57 percent that of men. Under such economic inequality, to most of women, computers remain as luxuries rather than necessities.

Unlike the slogan that "The information-technology industry is place for women," most women workers' jobs in the office are limited to simple job of pressing keys on computer keyboards, no more or less. (Thinking about women tellers in banks) In many cases, women workers are prohibited from using computers for personal use in the office. In a nutshell, most women workers are "computer-illiterates who know how to operate it."

2. Systematic keep-out: "I am afraid of computers"

Is a computer machine only for male? The answer to that is 'yes.' While boys are playing with miniature robot and cars, footballs and game machines, girls are playing with dolls and picture books. Across all ages, men feel much friendly and comfortable with computers than women. That means that cyberspace is men's space and belongs to men's world. Such perception is called as "sex stereotype." Most women tend to think that computer is for men-only and regardless of their age, women are saying, "I am afraid of computers." Two things can explain the sex stereotype regarding computers. First, "systematic keeping out in the process of gender-role socialization." For example, the gender prejudice that "girls are not good at math or science" could lead to another biased view that "women are not good at computers," simply because computers are in some way related with math and science.

Secondly cyberculture that is dominantly male-oriented makes women feel isolated from cyberspace.

3. Running against another wall: Male-oriented cyberculture

When women finally enter into cyberspace, they usually end up running against another wall, called male-oriented cyberculture. Online pornography, a typical male-dominated online culture, emerged recently as one of the serious social problems. When logging on to online chatting room with a "feminine" ID, it is highly probable that in less than 30 seconds you become a target of sexual-harassment. In fact various types of online sexual-harassment cases are reported; posting message derogating women or sexually harassing women; sending sex-related message, lewd message or pornography via email; posting private information of women; hacking into sites related with women's movements. Even a woman with courage and nerve, as long as she remains as an isolated "individual," she is just "a stranger" and "an uninvited guest" in cyberspace. Her life, language and culture never can stay in women-hostile cyberspace.

To sum up, first, women (workers) with access to PCs are not allowed to use computers freely. Or they can't afford PCs simply because of their financial hardship. Secondly, with lack of education on computers, many women are computer-illiterate. (It is quite easy at computer classes to find women who don't know whether the computer in their home is equipped with modem or not) Thirdly, as a result of the powerful ideology that computers belong to men's world, women usually have hard time in front of computers that look never familiar and comfortable to them. Fourthly, due to male-dominated cyberculture, women remain as minorities and become more and more reluctant to log on to cyberspace. Thus we must remain skeptical to the much-touted slogan forecasting "the digital age" as long as it fails to explain about barriers preventing women getting closer to cyberspace.

And without serious efforts to break down the walls between women and cyberspace, the much-trumpeted slogans on the digital age is meaningless.

III. Much-touted lies that computers are all-important

'Do I need to learn about Internet/E-communication even when I haven't got time for that'

Now let's think about other point saying knowledge on the Internet and electronic communication are "all-important." Learning computers is really crucial for women? In fact many women regardless whether they are working in factories or in the office, and housewives say, "I really haven't got time for computers. I have to work all day long for making a living." Despite such doubts on learning on computers among women, usually many women feel compelled to learn how to use computers. How can we explain the women's ambivalent mind-set toward computers?

IV. For alternative cyberculture

We need to clearly raise issues on barriers keeping women out of cyberspace. Each women group, such as college students, women working in the office, women working in factories and housewives, tend to face sometimes similar and sometimes different problems in entering into cyberspace. Therefore we should call for making and implementing policies on this matter based on each women groups specific needs.

Especially we need to put more thoughts and efforts in developing education programs for women. We also need to seek alternative education programs for women on computers and information-technology, helping them overcome barriers between them and cyberspace.

Don't' forget that women who already entered into cyberspace also want some change in cyberspace. Collective efforts by women to change language, logic, culture in cyberspace are needed. If various barriers against women in cyberspace make them 'guests' rather than 'hosts,' don't try to succumb to predominant logic in cyberspace --- that is, male-dominated culture in cyberspace --- by hiding our gender. Rather let's make "a community of guests" in cyberspace. Solidarity among women in cyberspace is crucial in building the cybercommunity by women.

More flexibility and thoughts must be given in choosing information posted in cyberspace. We must oppose to any attempt to limit women's needs to narrow range under such categories as childcare, make-up, fashion, diet, shopping, and entertainment. In fight against any attempt to make women just as consumers of information, we need to show to the world that we can build cybercommunity, where production-distribution-consumption of information are all performed by women.