The digital divide refers to unequal access to computers and the Internet based on poverty, racism, sexism, isolation in the countryside, age, and other factors. The digital divide affects both individuals within a country and countries themselves.

A computing innovation can be physical (such as a self-driving car), non-physical software (such as picture editing software), or conceptual (such as the idea of e-commerce), but regardless of the form, they must include a program as an integral part of their function.