The evolving role of public policy in promoting information technologies: The case of Mexico

Over the years, Information Technologies (ITs) have greatly stimulated economic growth and development. Being the Internet one of the most prominent IT technologies, its contribution to the advancement of education, learning and knowledge is of enormous importance. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the commitment to the diffusion of the Internet has become a top issue for many developing nations. In the case of Mexico, Internet penetration has undergone a number of setbacks, mainly due to a misinterpretation of the factors causing the so-called digital divide. Hence, this paper aims to analyze the role that public policy plays in encouraging the diffusion of the Internet. Available data shows that Internet diffusion remains relatively low in spite of recent governmental initiatives devised to encourage connectivity. The main challenge for policy-makers is then to encourage the private investment in IT infrastructure in order to increase Internet diffusion.