The site is also used to communicate and coordinate with other organizations and individuals around the country who participate in the Economic Human Rights Campaign. As the above examples suggest, when low-income groups use technology strategically to advance their goals,they build and strengthen the overall capacity of the organization. By usingthe Internet to communicate with members or its Board,enhance leadership development programs,provide basic skills development for members,stay in touch with colleagues and allies,advance an advocacy campaign, or educate the public and media,groups can maximize their limited resources and be a more effective voice for justice in their communities. Commercial forces are having a significant effect on efforts to close the digital divide. Internet Service Providers now receive advertising revenue from the Internet that allows them tooffset the cost for a dial-up connection to the Internet and provide some free Internet access.
Consumers see the price of computers falling dramatically.
These factors have both a negative and positive effect on efforts to get people online. While access grows and the Internet is easier to use, more online content is geared to commerce and consumerism. The Internet has the potential to be a powerful force that promotes the ever broader participation of individuals, including low-income people, minorities, and other often excluded groups, in all areas of civic life. To realize this potential we must demonstrate and publicize these creative uses of the Internet. Grassroots organizations are among the trailblazers in this effort as they generate material for their low-income members and show their members how to use the Internet as an empowerment tool.