By Emily Goldberger
‘Get Online Week’ : the Good Things Foundation (2024) annual campaign dedicated to digital inclusion
The importance of this campaign cannot be understated; the world that we live in is increasingly digital, and the internet has become essential to everyday activities and interactions. This means that all sectors of society are impacted by internet access, and it should no longer be viewed as a luxury, but as a necessity.
The internet is a technology so innovative and so in demand that it has transformed human civilisation and now affects our lives in ways that we might not consider. For example, most job opportunities are posted online, more people are using the internet to manage their finances, and government services are easiest to access digitally. Despite the importance of the internet, the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee (2023) reported that in 2021, 1.7 million households had no broadband or mobile internet access, and an estimated 1 million people had to cut back or cancel internet packages due to affordability issues. This is a clear problem as everyone deserves an equal opportunity to benefit from being online, which shows why ‘Get Online Week’ is essential for closing the digital divide and promoting inclusion for all.
This report will demonstrate the ways in which digital exclusion can affect our lives by looking at the areas of education, employment and finance, and mental and physical wellbeing, with a specific section focusing on the impact for young people. Much of the data used in this report is taken from a survey conducted by the Fearless Youth Association at a ‘Get Online Week’ event where participants were asked about the impact that digital exclusion has had on their own lives.
Education
Internet access is crucial to educational performance. This has become especially apparent since the COVID-19 pandemic when school closures highlighted the importance of digital access for students. The digital divide in education is of particular importance because education is vital for equality of opportunity. It improves quality of life by allowing individuals to gain qualifications for better paid jobs which creates employment opportunities – helping to reduce poverty and improve the wellbeing of society.
The impact of the pandemic on education in the UK was significant. Whilst many students from wealthier backgrounds were able to continue their education uninterrupted, others from more disadvantaged backgrounds faced problems due to inadequate access to technology and internet connectivity.
This is shown by the graph below from the Sutton Trust.
The graph showsthat those from wealthier backgrounds faced significantly fewer challenges when accessing online learning. This suggests that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities within the field of education by making it even more difficult for students from poorer backgrounds to engage with their education. These affordability issues were evident in our own research with 84% of the participants in our survey citing cost as their reason for not owning an electronic device. This is significant because students without internet access may struggle to keep up academically as they are prevented from exploring educational content, conducting research, and collaborating with peers. This can hinder their educational progress and limit their future opportunities, serving to widen the gap between the most and least privileged students.
The digital divide in education also exists outside of COVID-19. For example, the ‘homework gap’, which suggests that children without access to digital resources at home struggle to complete homework and engage in independent learning. This is evidenced by our own data in which one candidate testified that she felt stressed because “Sometimes my son cannot do his homework.”
Employment and Finance
Digital technology is now an essential part of the contemporary workplace. From social networking to workplace activities, the internet is used for a vast array of tasks, including, emails, instant messaging, online collaboration tools, and video conferencing.
Work environments have been completely transformed by the internet. Tasks that used to take days to complete now take minutes, everyone uses laptops and with the help of smartphones, employees can remain posted with the happenings of their workplace. Without internet access, employees can feel like they are falling behind at work as they are unable to keep up with the demands of the job. This was the case for one of our participants who stated, “Sometimes I cannot read my messages from work which they send me through email.”
The success of an employee is based upon upskilling and learning, and the right technological tools encourage workers to perform at their best. Regardless of the sector that you work in, internet access is vital to achieving your professional aspirations; HR professionals, developers, writers, and designers cannot perform and achieve their goals without technology. This means that digital skills are now essential for a lot of jobs, with 82% of advertised openings requiring some level of digital skills and the roles that do require these skills paying 29% more than those roles that do not according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (James, 2019).
As with education, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of technology in the workplace. More people are now working from home, with data from the Office for National Statistics (2023) showing that levels of home working peaked during the pandemic at nearly 50% and this number has remained high with 40% of adults still working from home in January 2023. With no clear upward or downward trend, we can infer that homeworking is resilient to pressures, such as, the cost-of-living crisis and the end of restrictions.
The impact of the digital divide begins before individuals set foot in the workplace with most job advertisements now found online. This makes the internet essential for accessing job opportunities, for example, a lot of jobs require that you upload a CV online and the internet can be useful for preparing interviews. The difficulties in accessing jobs were evident in our own survey with four participants making a specific reference to the limited access that they had experienced when applying for jobs. One candidate explained, “I need to go to the library to do my job search, it would have been easier for me to do that at my own comfort.”
Another area revolutionized by the internet is the management of personal finances which has allowed people to take control of their financial futures. The development of online banking has made it easier to manage money and keep track of spending whilst also providing greater access to financial services for people who live in remote areas. With access to online financial services, people can make better financial decisions, take care of bills, and transfer money between accounts. Those without the internet may struggle to use basic banking services, leading to financial exclusion and limited economic opportunities. This can exacerbate income inequality by limiting access to financial tools and resources that are essential for economic participation and advancement. It can also hinder financial stability and resilience as those without access to banking services may struggle to save, invest, or access credit when needed.
Mental and physical wellbeing
Outside of professional environments, digital exclusion can have a serious impact on our personal lives. Technology is now used to stay in contact with loved ones and it is crucial for access to key services, such as healthcare. This has an impact on an individual’s mental and physical health that should not be ignored.
Digital technology has become a primary method of communication. This means that those who do not have access to online devices are more likely to experience social isolation due to difficulties connecting with long distance friends and family as well as the wider community. Social isolation is a major factor related to mental health struggles and it is made worse by digital exclusion. Humans are inherently social beings; we need other people to thrive, and we rely on communication and cooperation. Experiencing social exclusion and feeling left out is not nice for anyone and this can affect a person’s mental health as it is shown to contribute to the development of conditions like depression by lowering self-esteem and confidence. This is evidenced by our survey in which 61% of participants said they felt isolated from the community, and 61% also said that digital exclusion has led to feelings of stress and loneliness.
Physical health is also impacted by digital exclusion as access to vital services is now found online. One area that has been particularly affected by the digital divide is healthcare as the adoption of digital technologies by both patients and staff has significantly increased over the last few years. According to NHS England (2024), around 10 million more people in the UK used NHS websites or digital applications in 2021 compared to 2020, and NHS App registrations increased from 2 million people in 2021 to 30 million people in 2023. This is evidenced by our survey where 76% of participants said that they felt digital exclusion stops them from accessing important services, with four participants making specific reference to difficulties regarding GP appointments which are now found online.
Impact on young people
Digital inclusion is perhaps more significant for young people than it is for anyone else in society. The internet is being used more than ever before, which makes digital inclusion essential for young people to become full and productive members of society. Young people who do not have adequate internet access are likely to struggle, as explained by the United Nations (2023) who assert that those who experience digital exclusion are being left behind as they cannot access education and training nor the news and information that can help to protect their health, safety and rights.
In the UK, children and young people are living increasingly digital lives which means that digital inclusion is essential to ensuring that the rights of young people are fulfilled. UNICEF UK (2021) explain that the UK government is signed on to the UN convention on the Rights of the Child which includes the right to a quality education, to access information, and to leisure, culture, and play. In the current digital environment, digital inclusion is essential to enhancing these rights which means that it must be seen as the cornerstone to ensuring social justice and equitable life chances for every child.
Conclusion
In conclusion, digital inclusion is vital for full participation in society. The world we currently live in is so dependent on the internet that it is only possible for people to fully enjoy all the elements of social life if they have access to the internet. The digital divide affects people across the boundaries of work, education, finance, and wellbeing which is why internet access should be a basic right and not something that can be negotiated. Since COVID-19 more people have realised the importance of digital inclusion which means that there is greater demand for the close of the digital divide. This is why ‘Get Online Week’ and the event held by Fearless Youth Association is so important for bridging this gap and ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the internet.
References
Communications and Digital Committee (2023) Digital exclusion, Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/40662/documents/198365/default/ (Accessed 22 October 2024)
The Good Things Foundation (2024) The UK’s largest digital inclusion campaign, Available at: https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/discover/get-online-week#:~:text=Get%20Online%20Week%20is%20Good,their%20digital%20skills%20and%20confidence. (Accessed: 22 October 2024)
Holt-White Erica (2022) The Continuing Digital Divide, Available at: https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/the-continuing-digital-divide/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmt24BhDPARIsAJFYKk0BtobJhzJzrHE29kKr_GDHKXQ2vvODqb8_Gn95r1Y3Az3oBsuTXUgaAl8KEALw_wcB (Accessed: 22 October 2024)
James, Margot; Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2019) Current and future demand for digital skills – a call to action, Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/current-and-future-demand-for-digital-skills-in-the-workplace (Accessed: 22 October 2024)
NHS England (2024) Inclusive digital healthcare: a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion, Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/inclusive-digital-healthcare-a-framework-for-nhs-action-on-digital-inclusion/ (Accessed: 22 October 2024)
Office for National Statistics (2023) Characteristics of homeworkers, Great Britain: September 2022 to January 2023, Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/characteristicsofhomeworkersgreatbritain/september2022tojanuary2023 (Accessed: 22 October 2024)
UNICEF UK (2021) Closing the digital divide for good: an end to digital exclusion for children and young people in the UK, Available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/policy/closing-the-digital-divide-uk/ (Accessed: 29 October 2024)
United Nations (2023) HC: The digital divide is leaving young people behind, Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2023/03/hc-digital-divide-leaving-young-people-behind (Accessed: 29 October 2024)
