We Must Close the Digital and Algorithmic Divide
How unequal access to technology and the need for Digital Literacy is shaping the next phase of cybersecurity risk.
As artificial intelligence and digital systems continue to transform how we work, govern, and connect, cybersecurity frameworks are emerging to address new risks and threats. Laws are evolving. Companies are becoming harder targets. But a critical threat vector remains largely unaddressed—the growing gap in meaningful access to emerging technology.
For too long, cybersecurity has been defined by the CIA triad: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. But availability has often been interpreted narrowly—focused on system uptime and technical continuity. That leaves a key question unasked: available to whom?
When significant parts of the population can’t afford reliable internet, struggle to understand or navigate digital systems, or lack the resources to stay current with fast-changing technology, then availability breaks down in practice—even if the system is technically online.
The digital divide is a structural challenge that affects the stability and security of digital infrastructure. And as AI becomes more embedded in everyday systems, a deeper challenge is taking shape: the algorithmic divide—where gaps in access, affordability, and technical fluency limit who can meaningfully use, shape, or benefit from these technologies.
Reframing Availability in Cybersecurity
In most cybersecurity conversations, availability means making sure services are online when users need them. But that definition assumes the user has the means, knowledge, and confidence to access the system in the first place.
As of 2024, roughly 2.6 billion people remain offline globally. In low-income countries, internet access is below 30%. In the U.S., home broadband adoption is 86% among White adults and 82% among Black and Hispanic adults. Among Native communities and rural populations, the numbers are even lower. In 2019, just 76% of rural students had fixed broadband at home—compared to 87% in suburban areas.
But connectivity isn’t the only issue. Digital literacy remains uneven. Everyday security tasks—like spotting phishing attempts or using two-factor authentication—can be challenging without training or support. That makes some users more vulnerable to social engineering and fraud, not because they’re careless, but because the ecosystem hasn’t prepared them.
If availability is to remain a foundational principle of cybersecurity, then we need to expand its meaning: it must include affordable, usable, and understandable access for the people who rely on these systems the most.
Cyber Threats Multiply Where Support Is Thin
Many cyberattacks don’t target the most fortified systems—they target the ones least prepared to defend themselves.
Schools, local governments, and public health facilities have become common ransomware targets—not because they hold the most sensitive data, but because they often operate with aging infrastructure, minimal IT staff, and limited budgets for cybersecurity.
The 2019 ransomware attack on the City of Baltimore illustrates this well. Municipal systems were frozen for weeks. Property transfers stalled. Online water payments shut down. Small businesses struggled to function. The cost? More than $18 million in recovery and lost revenue. And for residents who relied on digital city services, it created real disruptions.
This is part of a broader pattern: when the ability to manage risk depends on funding, training, and technical access that some communities don’t have, cybersecurity becomes uneven—and the entire system becomes more fragile.
Understanding the Algorithmic Divide
The rise of AI adds a new dimension. In order to thrive in the digital economy, individuals and businesses have to understand, afford, and interact with intelligent systems that are rapidly becoming embedded in public life.
The algorithmic divide refers to the growing gap in access to the knowledge, tools, and training necessary to use or adapt to AI technologies. These systems are already shaping how decisions are made in areas like healthcare, education, employment, and finance. But for individuals who haven’t had exposure to how these tools work—or who lack access to AI-driven platforms—the experience can feel disorienting or inaccessible.
Meanwhile, countries like China are integrating AI into K–12 education. Their students are being trained not just to use these technologies, but to build with them. This is a strategic goal and objective for them, likely tied to their national security.
If AI is going to be as fundamental to modern life as reading or math, then fluency in these systems needs to be treated as part of basic education—not a luxury skill set for a few.
Security Gaps That Scale
The risks associated with gaps in access and digital fluency don’t stay isolated.
In 2021, older Americans lost $1.7 billion to online scams—a 74% increase from the previous year.
Public institutions that lack secure infrastructure continue to be disproportionately affected by ransomware.
When people are unsure how systems work or don’t trust them, adoption slows, feedback breaks down, and critical services suffer.
These are not isolated incidents, but instead point to a digital ecosystem that is not yet designed to meet everyone where they are.
So What Can Be Done?
Addressing these risks doesn’t require radical reinvention, but simply that we build systems with a broader range of users in mind—from day one.
Engineers can design for low-bandwidth environments and prioritize interfaces that are intuitive for a wider spectrum of users.
Cybersecurity teams can ensure that authentication and recovery processes work for people without smartphones or always-on access.
Educators and community leaders can make AI and digital literacy part of general education—not just STEM tracks or tech bootcamps.
Policymakers can evolve education laws like No Child Left Behind to treat digital literacy as a national priority.
Tech companies can invest in training, access, and product usability testing across a range of demographic and geographic groups—and treat it as risk mitigation, not outreach.
We have to adjust our mindset and approach.
An Updated Security Mindset
The systems we rely on for communication, services, and economic activity are becoming more complex—and more embedded in everyday life. But as long as meaningful access to those systems depends on income, geography, or technical fluency, the overall security of the digital ecosystem remains unstable.
It’s in everyone’s interest to build an environment where more people are equipped to reap the full benefits of emerging technology.
Availability—one of cybersecurity’s core principles—has to reflect reality. That means affordability, usability, and readiness.