on: A Growing Digital Divide
Hi friend.
Today, I want to show you why the digital divide is growing between those that have and don’t have access to and knowledge of technology. Hope you find it helpful.
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Lauren
Lockdown revealed our utter dependence on technology for mental well-being, entertainment, social connection, and flexible working. It was unfortunate that we had to be locked in our homes for four, five, or six months. But at least we were able to connect with friends by text, chats, or video calls. We could watch box sets on TV (I obsessively sped through This Is Us, ER, and New Amsterdam). Many worked from home, using personal laptops or ones that the office conveniently provided. Really ambitious individuals may have taken courses to learn a new skill. Tablets allowed children to engage with school work (and in my case, gave me a well-loved break from entertaining them myself). We scrolled through social media feeds to figure out what everyone was doing within the confines of their homes. Maybe read a new book that was released on the Kindle. Whatever the device, many of us depended and found solace in technology during the ongoing COVID pandemic.
Unfortunately, technology is cannot be accessed by all due to lack of education and/or poverty. Latest studies in the UK revealed that 10% of the population are not internet users (meaning they haven’t accessed it in three months or more). Those not using the internet, due to lack of digital skills or poverty, are at a disadvantage in many areas.
People that do not know how to use or cannot access digital devices will earn less in the jobs that are available to them. There is a link between the earnings of any employee and their productivity. In a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, it was found that ‘employers are willing to pay more to people who are more productive, because they stand to benefit from increased output.’ The Tinder Foundation found that 90% of all new jobs require digital skills and 72% of employers would not even interview a candidate without digital skills. But if you have never learned to use digital devices, and have none available to learn on, you will most likely be forced to take a job that pays less. During lockdown, if someone didn’t have a job that could be done remotely (on the internet), they would most likely have been made redundant or lost their job entirely. Digital access provides higher payment and some sort of job security in an ever increasing technological world.
People lacking digital skills or devices are less likely to be benefit from online retail for purchases. During lockdown, when shops were closed, many of us used the internet to purchase food, clothing, household necessities, etc. But if you didn’t have reliable internet or didn’t understand how to access it, you had to do without, ask for help, or pay more expensive prices in shops that were operating. Even in “normal” times, not being able to access online shopping puts the individual at a disadvantage. Online shopping gives an individual access to more options and better savings. Without it, they are forced to buy whatever they can find in local shops, which some may argue is a good thing if you want to keep the high street alive. Reducing online shopping may help the high street, but it doesn’t help the mother who could find thrifty bundles of second hand baby clothes online as opposed to full-priced, new outfits from the nearest shop.
Having access to forms of technology enables people to stay in touch with friends, family, and their community. It is estimated that someone with basic digital skills and devices is 14% more likely to frequently connect socially with support systems. I have always depended on my phone and laptop to be able to stay in touch with my family that live an ocean away from me. My children wouldn’t know a huge portion of their family were it not for apps like Skype, FaceTime, and Whatsapp. This is a luxury that many not have - leaving people feeling disconnected and alone.
The Internet saves huge amounts of time for users. Researching goods or services, online banking, selling items, making appointment with healthcare providers and studying health related issues have all been made heaps easier with access to the world wide web.
Children that do not have access to the internet in their homes have experienced massive set-backs in their education during lockdowns. Nearly all learning has required the use of an electronic device and Wi-fi while schools were off. However, not all children are able to access the assignments. The University of Cambridge spoke with five primary school head teachers to understand the children who have experienced digital exclusion during lockdown. Some of their thoughts are below.
‘The majority of children in school aren’t accessing any of the online learning that we’ve set them. I know that some of them don’t have reliable internet. Most of them who have anything have phones or tablets. They’re often shared with siblings, so their access to something appropriate to work on is quite limited.’
‘I was talking to one family on Friday, when I was delivering free meals, and I did take them a paper pack of work, because Mum said it was pay the wi-fi or feed the children this month… Sometimes people simply can’t afford to pay for wi-fi.’
‘Ordinarily, digital exclusion is not an issue here, because everything we set during normal school working we would run homework clubs for... So everything we do when school’s running normally, the kids can usually do in after school clubs, so that everyone can do their homework.’
Finally, the internet provides a means of entertainment. Watching videos, streaming TV shows, playing video games, reading, taking online courses, and listening to music are all enjoyable activities that those with digital access can engage in.
While the digital divide between those that have and don’t have digital access and/or digital literacy has always existed (at least in the last few decades), lockdown has increased the gap. I have seen this very clearly with survivors of modern slavery that I have the joy of financially sponsoring through the project I manage. The people that have needed technology most during lockdown can’t afford it.
Can’t afford smartphones. Can’t afford tablets. Can’t afford laptops. Can’t afford Wi-Fi.
And yet. They are the ones that would benefit most from technology. The digital divide is growing and has become a human rights issue because those that have access to technology are getting ahead while those that don’t are falling behind. Which is why Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web is calling for the Internet to be recognised as a basic human right. And that it should be.
Two simple, but not so simple steps, that are recognised as ways to start to narrow the digital divide would be to increase free courses where people can learn how to use technology and increase the number of computers in public libraries for public use.
Unless the digital divide is addressed, the poorest (and possibly oldest) in our societies will bear the brunt of our inaction and suffer disadvantages associated with lack of the skill or finances to use technology.