The Digital Divide “Second Generation” and Its Impact on Social Mobility in the Networked Society

Abstract

This article examines the “second-generation” digital divide and its implications for social mobility within the networked society. While earlier discussions of the digital divide focused primarily on access to information and communication technologies, the second-generation divide emphasizes disparities in digital skills, usage patterns, and the capacity to convert digital engagement into meaningful social and economic advantages. The study explores how these inequalities shape opportunities for education, employment, civic participation, and upward social mobility. It argues that unequal digital competencies reinforce existing social stratification rather than reducing it, thereby producing new forms of exclusion within digitally mediated environments. The article highlights the structural and socio-cultural dimensions of digital inequality and underscores its impact on the reproduction of social hierarchies in contemporary societies.