Digital Divide of Rural Territories in Russia

Information and communication (ICT) technologies cause profound changes in social and economic phenomena. The initial stage of their diffusion is accompanied by complex and contradictory effects. One of these effects is the growing inequality in access to information and the newest technological achievements. The digital divide leaves vast social groups outside the progressive mainstream. Studies show that agribusiness and rural territories most severely suffer from digital discrimination. It consequently results in declining profitability and competitiveness of the agrarian sector and, furthermore, a growing gap between the quality of urban and rural life. To control the negative process, the primary task is to obtain a clear notion of the current tendencies. The study describes a qualitative method of analysis that can be used to measure the digital divide in rural territories