Barriers to Digital Inclusion
Digital technology is becoming indispensable to everyday life and participation in society. Work, schooling, commerce, banking, and government services all increasingly have digital components or may even be conducted entirely online.
As we depend more on technology, it becomes more and more important to make sure everyone is included. We must close the gap between those who can successfully access and use digital technology and those who cannot. The digital divide may be the greatest challenge humanity will face in the next century. In any case, overcoming barriers to digital inclusion is crucial to facilitating equal opportunities for everyone.
The Scale of Digital Exclusion
Regular users of digital technology may not be aware of the growing digital divide between those who are able to take advantage of technology and those who are not. Technology continues to change and open new opportunities for the people who can take advantage of it—those who are digitally included. For those who do not or cannot take advantage of technology—the digitally excluded—there is a growing risk that they will be left further behind.
What Digital Exclusion Is
Digital exclusion happens when people are not able to access the benefits of technology, specifically information and communication technology. This technology includes everything from cell phones and personal computers to broadband internet. Increasingly, people need to be digitally included to work, live, learn, and communicate.
Being digitally excluded—whether because of a lack of internet access, a lack of digital literacy, or other barriers—marginalizes people. Groups most likely to face barriers to digital inclusion include the following:
- people living in poverty
- the elderly
- people with disabilities
- nonnative English speakers
- those living in remote or rural areas
- those living in the developing world
Experts on 5G forecast that the next generation of technology could be a prime time to address digital inclusion. If digital equity isn’t improved, people will fall further behind than ever.
Why Digital Exclusion Matters
Lacking skills and access to technology has a measurable cost, while digital inclusion has measurable benefits. A 2018 report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research identified that people in the UK with basic digital skills
- earned more and were more employable,
- saved money by shopping online,
- communicated more with friends and family, reducing social isolation, and
- saved time accessing online services.
Furthermore, benefits spread to wider society. The economy benefits from the higher earning potential of people who are digitally included. Places of business benefit from being able to find and hire people with the skills they need. And the government benefits from increased tax revenue and decreased costs to in-person services that can be moved online.
Conversely, if people are not digitally included, they risk more than simply falling behind in these areas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many activities, including school and work, have become more dependent on technology. This dependence on internet usage reinforces the technological divides that already existed and makes it even more difficult for families without access to internet or a computer.
How the Scale of Digital Inclusion Is Being Measured
Many different organizations have begun measuring the scale of digital inclusion and digital exclusion. In the UK, the government has established a digital inclusion strategy that includes digital inclusion scales and a checklist for digital services. New Zealand has likewise established a digital inclusion blueprint.
Several different indexes have been used to measure digital inclusion, many of them measuring the extent to which specific populations have access to internet and devices. Other factors such as digital skills and affordability have been measured to a lesser degree.
Key Barriers to Digital Inclusion
People can face many different types of barriers to digital inclusion. While some barriers are specific to a country or culture, many exist around the world. Some barriers exist on an individual level, while other barriers come from larger structural issues.
Digital exclusion has a profound effect on people’s lives. These barriers prevent people from accessing services and opportunities through technology. The digitally excluded lack equal opportunity when it comes to education, jobs, and even banking and government services. Additionally, they may be prevented from access to crucial telehealth services.
Lack of Supporting Infrastructure
One of the biggest barriers to digital inclusion globally is a lack of supporting infrastructure for people to access the internet, electricity, or cell connections. Even if households have access to computers or mobile devices, without consistent power to charge them or a strong internet connection, the opportunities these devices present are limited. This barrier is especially relevant in developing countries, but access to broadband can also be a problem in rural or remote areas of developed nations as well. Broadband adoption initiatives will be important in overcoming this barrier, especially as 5G arrives, bringing new 5G questions.
Inaccessibility
Even if a robust supporting infrastructure is in place, people may face barriers to accessing the internet. The first is affordability. For low-income families, the monthly cost of internet can be prohibitive. Devices used to access the internet can also be too expensive for people on the margins, rendering digital technology inaccessible.
Lack of accommodations for disability can also bar people from accessing digital technology. Websites can be inaccessible because they lack alt text for screen readers or because they have font sizes too small for older people. Deaf people may lack access because videos and podcasts lack captions or transcripts. And people with motor disabilities who use handheld devices may find websites difficult to navigate.
People can also be digitally excluded because of language barriers. More search results are available in English than in any other language. For those who aren’t native English speakers, finding answers, information, or resources in their language can be more difficult, cutting them off from opportunities. This is an especially serious barrier when government services are not available in minority languages.
Lack of Digital Skills
Some people are digitally excluded because they do not have the skills to use the technology to its full potential. Older people who haven’t spent as much of their lifetimes using the internet or devices often face this barrier. People who don’t know how to safely use digital technology can be at risk of phishing scams or identity theft. And people who have been incarcerated and haven’t been privy to technological changes can also face barriers in reintegrating into society.
Navigating Barriers to Digital Inclusion
Different segments of society have different responsibilities in navigating barriers to digital inclusion. Some burden remains on individuals to build digital skills and find access to internet and devices. For the most disadvantaged, government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are taking on some of the responsibility to provide access and skills training.
The Roles of Government, NGOs, and Tech Companies
While the precise role of government will change depending on the nation, government generally has certain powers and reach that other organizations do not. Therefore, governments have a responsibility to consider and support digital inclusion efforts in their jurisdiction.
New Zealand’s Digital Inclusion Outcomes Framework establishes four key roles of the government in the process of facilitating digital inclusion. These establish the government’s role in leading, connecting, and supporting the efforts of other organizations. In the UK, the government has a checklist for digital inclusion intended to help government services that are moving online make sure they are remaining accessible to all. Public initiatives especially can have an impact in overcoming 5G deployment challenges.
NGOs, charities, businesses, and other organizations can bridge the digital divide in more localized ways. They can offer skills training, boost or create free local access points to the internet, and help provide internet access to low-income families.
Organizations can also support digital inclusion by making accessible websites for those with disabilities or who face a language barrier. Schools and businesses can make accommodations for students and employees with disabilities to make sure they can access digital technology. Other organizations can continue to support the efforts of policymakers in setting industry standards for accessibility and digital inclusion.
Tech companies also have a level of responsibility to make sure their products and services are accessible, affordable, and safe for people to use. A report by the World Benchmark Alliance ranked the digital inclusion efforts of 150 tech companies. While some companies had made commitments to digital inclusion, the report found that progress on this front was too slow and that most companies could do more.
The Skills Needed for Digital Inclusion
To access digital technology and thus be digitally included, people need digital literacy skills. These skills include being able to do independent research using online sources and being familiar with common terms and platforms. Additionally, people need to know how to use common digital tools like word processors, web browsers, and spreadsheets. And they must understand the basics of keeping personal data safe, such as recognizing phishing scams and not clicking suspicious links.
The Steps Toward Digital Inclusion
Digital inclusion initiatives will require several steps. Organizations and communities must first measure the digital inclusion in their areas to see what the biggest needs are before forming a digital inclusion strategy. If supporting infrastructure is lacking, those barriers may need to be addressed before other needs like digital literacy training are addressed.
Ways to Remove Digital Barriers
The goal of examining barriers to digital inclusion is to find ways to remove them. Ultimately, each organization, community, and nation will find its own path to confront this challenge, but some common ways forward exist, especially as the world moves into a 5G future.
Overcoming Barriers to Affordability and Accessibility
People with disabilities—who make up around 15 percent of the world population, according to the World Health Organization—face unique challenges to accessing information and services online. These barriers will vary from person to person. A Deaf person will have different barriers than a blind user. Cognitive differences like dyslexia and ADHD can affect how people access websites, as can motor disorders.
Guidelines for accessible web design exist to meet various social needs. Still, designers must seek feedback and implement changes based on the feedback of users with disabilities to further break down the barrier of accessibility.
Furthermore, designers and creators can allow better access to information by addressing the language barrier. English remains the leading language in online spaces, but not everyone can access information in English easily. Offering translations, especially for government services, in prevalent local and minority languages is a great way to overcome this barrier.
Providing Skills and Affordable Access Points
We can also overcome barriers to digital inclusion by providing skills training for people. Age UK is a great example of an organization providing skills training and help for older people in the UK.
Local libraries can provide a place for skills training and guidance as well as access for those who don’t have internet connections or devices at home.
Technologies and Challenges for the Future
As the next generation of digital technology becomes a reality, 5G presents some excellent advances that can help bridge the digital divide. 5G is faster to deploy and cheaper to implement than other broadband options. However, some experts warn that 5G could increase social inequality for some, so responsible parties must take care that it is implemented wisely.
Moving Together toward Digital Inclusion
Digital inclusion remains a worldwide challenge with increasingly important consequences. As we continue to tear down barriers to digital inclusion, we must keep the marginalized in mind in our efforts to make digital technology—and its benefits—accessible to all.Interested in becoming an IEEE member? Joining this community of over 420,000 technology and engineering professionals will give you access to the resources and opportunities you need to keep on top of changes in technology, as well as help you get involved in standards development, network with other professionals in your local area or within a specific technical interest, mentor the next generation of engineers and technologists, and so much more.