What does a digitally inclusive future look like?

Content warning: The below outlines experiences of online hate and abuse, which may be distressing.

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In today’s digitising society, exclusion from digital connection has consequences. As society goes digital, not being online can impact on a person’s health, reduce access to information, create barriers to essential services, and make it harder to connect socially.

 

Since the internet became a staple in most people’s lives in the 2000s, public services, bank branches, and employment opportunities have shifted online. The way many people consume media, engage with politics, and interact with each other has transformed. Digital technologies have advanced more rapidly than any other innovation in our history and have become a defining feature of our world today.

 

For some communities, that means that an object as seemingly arbitrary as a laptop can either be a gateway or a barrier, deciding whether a person has access to basic rights, support, independence, and the opportunity to thrive.

 

In a digitally inclusive world, no one should be locked out of society due to digital disconnection. In this article, we explore five key goals for the future of digital inclusion in the UK.

 

 

Digital is just one option

 

In a digitally inclusive future, everyone can access the services they need without using digital technology, if for any reason they can’t go online or choose not to.

 

When a person needs a specific service, using digital technology should never be a prerequisite. Using digital should not determine people’s access to key services, like healthcare, council services, financial help, banking, housing, and the variety of services offered by charities. Currently, 92% of the public think that most essential services require internet access.

 

Many people can’t go online, whether that’s because it’s too expensive, because the online world is inaccessible to them, or for other reasons, which we explore below.

 

Others choose not to go online – and that should be their decision to make. Some people make that choice because they don’t trust the online world with its risk of scams, fraud, risks to privacy, and other concerns around algorithms and data sharing on online systems. A lack of trust has been highlighted by both older people and those experiencing homelessness.

 

Others retreat from digital platforms after receiving online hate or abuse. Almost 2 million women in the UK have experienced abuse on social media from a partner or former partner, and 38% of this group have said they felt unsafe or less confident online as a result.

 

Services from all sectors should offer high quality non-digital options for those who either cannot or choose not to use services online. Everyone should be able to access the services they need without using digital technology.

 

 

Digital is affordable

 

In a digitally inclusive future, devices and connection are affordable for everyone.

 

Today, 1.6 million people don’t have a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, while 1.9 million households struggle to afford their mobile contract. For those who can’t afford digital connection, digital exclusion and poverty create a vicious cycle.

 

Being digitally excluded is a barrier to seeking work, securing work, and progressing in work. Without a digital device, for example, it is difficult to put together a CV and apply for jobs. Not having consistent access to digital connection also creates barriers to learning the digital skills that are increasingly important in the workplace.

 

People can be disadvantaged by this as early as childhood. When schools expect children to have online access at home, and set online homework, it makes it harder to learn for children who don’t have digital access. This risks leading to worse educational outcomes, which increase a child’s risk of poverty in adulthood. Young people aged 16 to 30 who are digitally excluded are two to three times more likely to be unemployed.

 

As sectors digitise, not being online creates barriers to receiving Universal Credit, accessing personal bank accounts, and applying for housing. People who are not online face the poverty premium: essential goods and services can be 25% more expensive offline than online. In all of these ways, digital exclusion and poverty make each other worse. Experiencing both at the same time can create a situation that’s hard to get out of.

 

In a digitally inclusive future, going online is affordable for everyone. Everyone should be able to access the services they need without their personal finances being a barrier.

 

 

Digital is accessible

 

In a digitally inclusive future, all digital services are fit for use by everyone, regardless of ability, language, environment, or device.

 

In the UK, around 24% of the population (16.1 million people) are considered disabled. But over 95% of websites have issues that exclude disabled people from using them. Other digital products and services like apps, video conferencing platforms, and physical devices also create barriers to online services when not designed accessibly.

 

Digital inaccessibility means that people with disabilities are 50% more likely to face barriers to accessing digital and online services than non-disabled people. The way digital products and services are currently designed means millions of people with disabilities can’t carry out routine tasks such as banking, booking holidays, applying for jobs, or accessing study materials.

 

When people with disabilities need to seek help with using digital products and services, it can make them feel stripped of their independence. Trying to complete simple tasks online can create frustration and make people feel “more disabled”. 

 

Digital inaccessibility creates barriers to work by making it harder to submit job applications and reach one’s full potential once in the workplace.

 

The digital world should be designed in a way that is accessible to all people with disabilities, ensuring that they are treated equally and have the same rights as others in society.

 

 

Digital skills are widespread

 

In a digitally inclusive future, people are able to make the most of digital opportunities and effectively avoid the risks.

 

In the UK, 7.9 million people currently lack basic digital skills, such as using a touchscreen and setting a safe password. This includes older people who are new to technology and the internet. According to Age UK, it usually takes a long time for older people to learn basic online skills and have the confidence to use them.

 

It can also be harder to learn digital skills when people have inconsistent access to devices or internet connection. This is experienced by many young people between 16 and 30, as well as people of any age experiencing homelessness.

 

In a digitally inclusive future, everyone has the digital skills they need to make the most of technology in a safe way. Work is undertaken across sectors to ensure that no one who wants to learn is left behind.

 

 

Digital society is safe and inclusive

 

In a digitally inclusive future, digital products and services enable everyone to be safe online, as well as feeling included and empowered to participate in digital society. People interact with kindness and respect and are encouraged to do so by online platforms and regulation.

 

The internet has become an extension of society in the UK and around the world. How we shape the online world, then, should follow the same values and principles that we use to make our physical world a better place.

 

Today, the internet provides the conditions for abusive behaviour by enabling the development of radicalising “echo chambers” and lacking effective content moderation.

 

Research by the charity Glitch has found that 20% of social media posts about women are highly rude, aggressive, demeaning, and degrading. Black women facing online abuse experience dehumanisation, an increased risk of violence, an erosion of freedom of speech, and a lack of safety across platforms. Online communities and users who dehumanise one group are more likely to be hateful towards other marginalised groups.

 

Digital platforms should earn people’s faith and trust: digital leaders should create an online world that we can all be confident in. A more inclusive digital future means reframing the meaning of “progress” to centre diverse people and their needs.

 

That means designing against online abuse and the spread of false information. It means ensuring cyber security and strengthening data privacy for all. It means having an online society that consistently improves wellbeing and mental health. The internet should be a good place for everyone to be.