How to tackle inclusion, wellbeing, and safety online

Content warning: The below article explores themes of suicide, online abuse, violence, and other areas that some readers may find distressing. 

At Charity Digital, we believe that digital tools can be key for charities to achieve their maximum impact. But the digital world isn’t perfect. It is an extension of our physical world, so the problems people face in daily life can also extend to it.

Here are some charities who are working to make the digital world a better place.

Digital accessibility

At least one in five people in the UK have a long-term illness, impairment, or disability, and many more have a temporary disability.

The UK government states that “most” public sector websites and mobile apps do not currently meet accessibility requirements, and that in the private sector, digital inaccessibility prevents some people from accessing essential services such as utilities and banking.

Digital exclusion can also be a risk to confidence, motivation, and can cause social isolation. In 2020, 15% of adults living with disabilities had never used the Internet.

AbilityNet supports people living with any disability to achieve their goals at home, at work, and in education.

They strive to build a more accessible digital world by working with organisations from all sectors to improve their online accessibility. They do this by providing expert advice and training and offering accessibility products and services like accessibility audits, user testing, and accreditations.

They are working to improve the online world by making it a more accessible and inclusive environment for people living with disabilities.

AbilityNet also directly support people with accessibility needs through tools such as ‘My Computer My Way’, a collection of guides about making devices easier to use.

Online safety

Safety online can be a problem for many people, but the Internet poses increased risks for those who are vulnerable and socially marginalised.

In December 2022, the Online Safety Bill is returning to government after a five-month delay. Its focus has changed from harms such as abuse and harassment to concerns over child protection as well as free speech. The new version has been criticised as being “watered down”.

The NSPCC are working to improve the online world by asking the UK government to “keep their promise” and deliver an Online Safety Bill that keeps children safe from abuse.

The charity Glitch’s purpose is ending online abuse and championing digital citizenship. Digital citizenship is the right for all individuals to engage in online spaces safely and freely without discrimination.

They are campaigning for a Tech Tax, where tech giants are taxed by 10% to be spent on ending online abuse.

They also offer digital self-care and digital self-defence training for Black Lives Matter activists, who have a high likelihood of receiving online abuse.

The charity also provides downloadable resources for those who have experienced online abuse.

Glitch has teamed up with the End Violence Against Women Coalition to produce a petition to ask the government to include women and girls in the Online Safety Bill, protecting them from online violence.

Other charities such as Women’s Aid and The Proud Trust provide support and advice for people experiencing online violence.

Digital literacy and access

In the UK in 2022, 11.9 million people do not have the digital skills needed for everyday life and two million households struggle to afford their Internet bills.

Like digital accessibility, digital literacy and access make the online world a better place by making it a more inclusive environment where people are able to engage with essential resources and enjoy other benefits of the internet safely.

Age UK are working to improve digital literacy among older people by providing online guides, local training sessions, and a digital buddy programme. They value local knowledge and integration within the community in delivering skills teaching so that older people can feel both more included and more independent in their daily lives.

Good Things Foundation are working to improve digital literacy by partnering with community organisations through the Online Centres Network. These diverse organisations provide a welcoming space for local people and internet access to support people in learning digital skills.

They are working to improve digital access through the National Databank and the National Device Bank, which provide people with free internet access and devices.

Mental Health

The Internet can negatively impact the mental health of its users, for example by extending existing challenges like bullying, discrimination, and other harmful behaviour.

Barnardo’s are campaigning for the UK government to conduct research on the harms of social media upon mental health. They are also campaigning for social media education for children, mental health support for children in all schools, and regulation of the Internet to address dangers like cyber-bullying.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) have launched an emoji campaign designed to help people reach out to friends and family when they’re feeling low.

Glitch have launched a petition which addresses the mental health impacts of violent videos and images of police brutality circulating online. They are calling for social media companies to provide greater controls on triggering and violent content and urging them to warn users that what they’re about to see may be graphic.

PAPYRUS is the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide in the UK. They have four approaches to  building a safer internet: reporting harmful content, supporting those at risk through their helpline, raising awareness, and building a supportive community.

The charity emphasises staying hopeful, talking about suicide sensitively, replacing dangerous content with helpful and supportive resources, and the importance of working together.

The Internet can also be harmful as it can cause users to feel anxious, stressed, lonely, overwhelmed, and have difficulty sleeping. Mind have resources for those experiencing these difficulties as well as information on staying safe and achieving a balance between online and offline life.