Excerpt: The scale of digital exclusion in the UK; those who aren’t currently using the internet, how digital skills vary for different groups of the population and some of the barriers to digital inclusion.
Year Published: 2019
Date Published: 04/03/2019
Author/s: Office for National Statistics
Research Link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/homeinternetandsocialmediausage/articles/exploringtheuksdigitaldivide/2019-03-04#toc
Methodology: Uses “various data sources” to explore the UK’d digital divide as “there is no single source that covers all aspects of digital exclusion.” Internet use = used internet in last 3 months by whatever means. Focus of this report is on skills and usage.
Key Takeaways: Since 2011, number of adults who are non-users has halved. However, in 2018, there were still 5.3 million adults in the UK who were non-users.
In an increasingly digital age, those who are not engaging effectively with the digital world are at risk of being left behind. Technological change means that digital skills are increasingly important for connecting with others, accessing information and services and meeting the changing demands of the workplace and economy. This is leading to a digital divide between those who have access to information and communications technology and those who do not, giving rise to inequalities in access to opportunities, knowledge, services and goods.