Abstract Technological development is often presented as a powerful way to enhance the human condition, particularly for the most vulnerable segments of the population. Digital technologies can improve the efficiency of general interest services, most notably in the health care and educational sectors. They generate opportunities and reduce costs for consumers, workers, and small entrepreneurs. New technologies provide for incredibly effective communication channels, enhancing political participation and amplifying the voice of those who are the margin of society. On the contrary, history shows that the most recent technological development cemented and even exacerbated off-line inequalities, contributing to polarizing societies and widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. A key driver of this extremely worrying phenomenon is the digital divide, defined as individuals’ different exposure to the opportunities offered by technology, both in terms of access and ability to use it and profit from it. Policymakers must deploy policy solutions that would promote wider access to technology within the population and a more symmetric distribution of the benefits that stem from it. Policy should drive technological development to correct off-line inequality rather than exacerbate it.
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