From Digital Divide to Digital Inclusion
Translated from Spanish. Read the original article here.
There is a universal consensus on the importance of Internet access as a requirement for human development. Without connectivity, experts say, people and countries face huge barriers to participating in the economic and social networks that define the communities of our time. This inequality between those who have access and those who do not is known as the Digital Divide.
When the concept of information and communication technologies (ICT) was born, it was very well known that there was a significant delay in technology adoption in certain social masses, collectives and countries, but it was mistakenly believed that this would be overcome with the passing of time thanks to the fact that computers would be mass produced and Internet connections would be significantly reduced in price. However, today we know that these inequalities persist and, even worse, are expanding uncontrollably.
For the Internet Society, a non-governmental, non-profit organization, the Digital Divide not only implies disparity between societies when connecting to the Internet, but also in economic opportunities and progress. The most disappointing thing is that emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), very useful in the developed world, will further widen the gap between those who are connected and those who are not.
Some facts to keep in mind
So that we can get an idea of the importance of what we are talking about in this text, we need to focus on the data that the world reality, often heartbreaking, gives us. The most recent report from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) says that at the end of 2018, only 3.9 billion people, or 51.2% of the world’s population, used the Internet in one way or another.
With the desire to be positive, this number of connected people, especially when compared with previous statistics, may even sound encouraging. However, we must bear in mind that this figure comes mostly from developed countries where four out of five people have access to some type of connectivity. Conversely, in the non-developed countries there was a stagnation in the reduction of the digital divide. Unlike in previous years, the distance between developed and undeveloped nations increased to a point defined as “abysmal” in the Global Connectivity Index 2017.
The large digitally developed economies continue to advance technologically thanks to huge investments and, above all, the greater adoption of information and communication technologies by their inhabitants. In contrast, developing economies, despite showing some acceleration, are still behind.
Democratizing Access to Information and Communication Technologies
Digital inclusion, or the expansion of connectivity and the adoption of the Internet in less fortunate societies, is contrary to the digital divide and has become one of the priorities of governments, some non-governmental organizations, private projects, ( Like RightMesh), and activists in general.
But how can we transform the digital divide into digital inclusion? Theoretically, there are five basic goals, each of which we explore in this article:
- Improve infrastructure.
- Make Internet more affordable.
- Train those who have been left behind.
- Produce relevant content.
- Close the gender gap in Internet access.
Improve the Infrastructure
The absence of an adequate Internet infrastructure, as is the case of developing countries, means that in certain parts of the world the connection is deficient or simply non-existent.
The introduction of broadband suggested that the problem was going to improve, but, especially in rural areas, everything worsened. The cost of technology and low profitability for suppliers to deliver the service means that certain populations are simply left in oblivion.
The need to find a new way to connect is very obvious and that’s why projects like RightMesh seek to build another type of network — one that connects users with the devices they already have at hand without spending billions on new infrastructure.
Make Internet more affordable
One of the main barriers, when we talk about Internet adoption, is the high prices of technological devices, whether smartphones, tablets or laptops. It is no secret to anyone that mass production of devices is lessening the final cost but we must bear in mind that devices are still difficult to obtain in the undeveloped world.
Latin America, for example, has the highest level of income inequality in the world. For 40% of the population the cost of having a connected smartphone translates into 17% of their monthly income, while in countries like the United States and Canada it represents only 2%.
To alleviate this pain, the most popular recommendations among experts are to lower or exonerate taxes on devices, offer credits to buy them, or grant government subsidies.
Learn how mobile mesh networks can support Internet affordability
Train those people who have been left behind
The lack of efficient infrastructure and little or no support for the teaching of digital skills prevents many users from learning about the benefits of Internet connectivity.
The solution to this problem is simply education. It is essential to show people the benefits, both economic and social, that come with the Internet.
Greater connectivity in the poorest places on the planet can mean that many more people lifted out of extreme poverty, learning to make their own decisions, eating properly, and freed to express their opinions.
Produce Relevant Content
A recent GSMA study in Latin America and the Caribbean concluded that “less than 30% of content in Latin America and the Caribbean is in the local language. Moreover, the content found in the app stores and web pages of mobile operators is related to entertainment in its majority. In this way, a false impression is created among non-users, that the internet is just a tool for entertainment, a perception that conceals the true importance and the potential for lifestyle change offered by the internet. “
To promote the adoption of the Internet in places like Latin America, it is vitally important that the applications and content are translated into the local language. In addition, the perception that users will lose their privacy, that websites are untrustworthy, and that security is minimal or non-existent should be taken into account as they tend to scare off potential users in certain parts of the world.
Close the gender gap in Internet access
There is a clear inequality between the ability of men and women to access information, knowledge, and education through information and communication technologies. According to UNESCO, the percentage of women who access the Internet is 12% lower than that of men. The majority of these women live in Africa and in the countries of the Middle East.
The effort to close this gender gap falls directly on governments and non-governmental organizations which must work together to make Internet use among the female population equal to that of the male population.
In summary, it is clear and obvious that there is a major problem with connectivity (or the lack thereof) in the world at this time, most dramatically in developing countries. It is also true that making final decisions on such a complex and changing problem is not a simple task. However, we cannot continue to do as little as we are. It is imperative that the world, and most especially governments and Internet technology companies, lay the groundwork and build the foundations that will enable the world to rise up together.
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