Digital inequalities research adopted the idea that exclusion is compound and multifaceted. Nevertheless, digital exclusion theory and empirical research often takes an individual, static approach; assuming that personal characteristics such as socioeconomic status consistently influence how individuals engage with information and communication technologies across different contexts. This article makes a theoretical contribution by looking at the value of relative deprivation theory (RDT) in understanding digital inequalities. RDT argues that evaluations of personal circumstances depend on social and temporal contexts and are, therefore, relative. Digital inequalities research could benefit from a shift toward this relative approach in both theorization and empirical research by incorporating explanations based on context and social group processes into existing individual and structural explanations of digital inequalities.

中文翻译：

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数字排斥的社会相对性：将相对剥夺理论应用于数字不平等

数字不平等研究采用了排斥是复合和多方面的观点。然而，数字排斥理论和实证研究往往采取个体化、静态的方法；假设社会经济地位等个人特征会持续影响个人在不同环境中使用信息和通信技术的方式。本文通过研究相对剥夺理论 (RDT) 在理解数字不平等方面的价值，做出了理论贡献。RDT 认为对个人情况的评估取决于社会和时间背景，因此是相对的。