Digital exclusion in the age of Covid-19

Among the countless shortfalls of the U.S. in the current Covid-19 pandemic is the number of people in this country who do not have broadband internet, or the devices needed to learn or work online. When our first grader’s elementary school closed we purchased a sub $200 computer/tablet and loaded a bunch of learning applications and resources, some of which cost money. My wife and I take turns giving her assignments, and our high speed internet allows her to stream videos and participate in online activities. The two of us can do nearly all of our work remotely.

We are fortunate. We live in an urban area with high bandwidth internet connectivity. We can afford the internet connection. We have the resources to purchase other computing devices. And we have the skills needed to find high quality educational resources for our daughter.

This is not true for many people at our daughter’s public school. The disparities are born out in the data. According to Pew research, among households with incomes below $30,000 per year:

• 44% do not have home broadband internet
• 46% do not have a computer

These figures are about 30 points below households with incomes from $30,000 to $100,000, and 40 points below those with incomes above $100,000. There are less severe but nonetheless significant gaps across other demographic measures as well (rural/urban, education, race, etc.).

This is inexcusable for a country as rich as America. It shouldn’t take a global pandemic to highlight the inequity of digital access. Broadband internet should be a right, affordable (or subsidized) so that everyone has the means to get online, and learn, work, or play. Claps for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and others in bringing attention to this, and for the internet providers that have responded to the Covid-19 crisis with new or improved broadband discount plans (though there is a lot of discussion on the adequacy of these efforts).

Much of my work as a research scientist at the University of Washington Technology & Social Change Group is focused on digital inclusion, both in the U.S. and in countries with far fewer resources. One of our arguments has been that mobile phones are not a replacement for traditional computers. This pandemic has made this point better than any of our publications. My wife and I can continue to do our work on our laptops, and our daughter can continue to learn, thanks to our high-speed internet and all the digital devices we need.