Photo credit Bigstockphoto vectorwin
by Veronica L. Hardy, PhD, LCSW, NCC
Taking a moment to reflect on the impact COVID-19 had on the availability of education in 2020, I recall that some students in grades K–12 were in geographic locations that lacked internet or wi-fi access. For students who did not have access to the internet at home, organizations like the North Carolina Department of Information Technology and Hometown Strong banded together to provide wi-fi equipped school buses (NC Department of Information Technology, n.d.). This made it possible for the youth to continue taking part in their education. This is just one illustration of the social justice issue of digital exclusion, which the COVID-19 pandemic further brought to light.
The ability to access the internet and other forms of technology is essential for social and economic participation, as the use of digital tools spreads across the globe. Participation in social and economic opportunities is affected by the "digital divide," which is the disparitiy in access to technology. This digital divide is visible along demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic lines (Vogels, 2021a). It is critical to know the characteristics and effects of this social justice issue when pursuing change.
Effects of the Digital Divide
The digital divide includes several factors, such as internet connectivity, digital literacy, and access to technology. The digital divide disproportionately affects groups including those who are experiencing low income, historically excluded racial and ethnic populations, older adults, people living in rural areas, and persons with varying abilities. Many also face obstacles like inadequate access to devices, the internet, and digital resources; inadequate training in digital literacy; and high costs for technology or internet access (McClain, 2021). This lack of access, training, and financial resources affects their ability to take full advantage of socioeconomic opportunities and benefits, in turn affecting their health and well-being.
The digital divide has a number of both short-term and long-term effects on a person's life. For instance, students in K–12 and higher education settings who lack access to the internet and technology have limited opportunities to participate in virtual learning environments or access online course materials, resulting in a “homework gap” (Vogels, 2021b). This consequently hinders their academic success and adds to the disparities in education and employment that exist across the lifespan (Woodside & Hardy, 2020). Additionally, people who lack digital literacy and digital skills may find it difficult to compete in the job market, which may negatively impact their career prospects and financial opportunities. In addition to its effects on education and employment, the digital divide also prevents people from accessing financial and health-related resources, such as telehealth, conducting financial transactions, and using virtual government services.
What About Social Justice?
The digital divide perpetuates inequality and makes disparities in areas like employment, healthcare, finances, and education even more pronounced. There are numerous initiatives underway to lessen the effects of the digital divide. For instance:
- Larry Irving, who is credited with coining the term "digital divide," conducts research and participates in legislative actions to address disparities.
- The Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2023 was created to promote digital inclusion.
- Grace Meng, a member of Congress, advocates for issues like education and broadband access.
- Coalitions like Airwaves for Equity, promote funding for digital equity.
The NASW Code of Ethics Preamble (2021, para. 2) states:
Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals' needs and social problems.
Therefore, it is critical that social workers join the efforts to address the systems, including social work systems, that produce, maintain, and sustain the digital divide. The strategies listed below can be used to advance social justice through initiatives for digital inclusion.
Strategies for Digital Inclusion
Assessment. It is important for social workers to evaluate the effects of digital inequalities locally, globally, and within their work settings. As Barsky (2023, para. 6) noted, “When engaging in advocacy for social justice, the first step is not advocating, but rather, assessing the situation.” For instance, what does the local and global digital divide look like? What effect does it have on different populations? What kinds of digital expertise is required? What initiatives, if any, are currently underway to close the digital divide?
If services and information are offered online, take your workplace environment into account, as well. Has the target population’s ability to use the services been evaluated? What measures has your workplace taken to ensure that the target population can successfully access the online services and information it offers? Do certain groups have less access to wi-fi or limited digital literacy that prevents them from using the services?
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) created a playbook with important advice on how to conduct an assessment. The authors write:
Gaps are the indicators or symptoms of the digital divide. Gaps are created in areas that have experienced a lack of investment in internet infrastructure of digital literacy as a result of geographic location, demographics or socioeconomic class. (UN-Habitat, n.d., p. 45)
The authors also urge assessments to look at the root causes of the digital divide, geographic areas with poor connectivity, specific experiences of various demographic populations (such as ethnicity, ability, and age), as well as the influence of cultural practices. A vision for addressing the characteristics of the digital divide can be developed using the information gathered from the assessment, and resources and partnerships can be built to support change. If you work in settings including an academic institution, a political setting, a community organization, a national organization, a medical setting, a governmental entity, or a public school, think about how you can apply this to your environment. Consider how you can encourage digital inclusion.
As social workers, we want to make sure that everyone has access to the products, services, and information we are offering, including our clients, colleagues, students, and the community. This includes, but is not limited to, conferences, workshops, online degree programs, telehealth services, and meetings. We want to ensure that we are not excluding certain groups from opportunities for career development, education, or mental health and well-being services in our work settings.
Digital Literacy Training. Sieck et al. (2021, para. 3) note digital literacy as one of the “super social determinants of health.” In other words, digital literacy, digital skills, and access are needed to engage in social and economic interactions, including applying for jobs and college, completing healthcare forms, and pursuing financial assistance, “each of which influences an individual’s health, are increasingly, and sometimes exclusively, accessible online” (Seick et al, 2021, para. 3). This exclusivity can create barriers to access if strategies are not implemented to promote digital inclusion.
Programs for digital literacy and skill development can be created by social workers to meet the needs of various populations. The training programs may cover topics like using and accessing online resources; safeguarding one's online privacy and security; using the internet and wi-fi hotspots; using smartphones, computers, and webcams; and how to get technical support and services tailored to one's abilities (like captions, transcripts, and language interpreting).
The trainings may also cover how to participate in telehealth sessions; navigating applications for jobs, colleges, and housing; and how to access electronic health records. In addition to developing agency/program-specific trainings, social workers can collaborate with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). Each year in October, the NDIA organizes Digital Inclusion Week to encourage collaboration, idea sharing, and resource building. This organization also highlights low-cost technology resources, digital inclusion social justice topics, federal policy initiatives, and how to initiate a digital inclusion program in your community.
Collaborations and Partnerships. Collaborations and partnerships are essential elements in social justice activities. To improve the community's access to resources and training opportunities, social workers can think about developing partnerships with community-based organizations, local libraries, schools, and technology hubs. Offering inclusive digital access can be made more likely by enhancing and expanding currently available resources. According to Sieck et al. (2021), community organizations can offer instruction and facilitate connectivity, libraries can offer digital literacy training, community health workers can give practical instruction in mobile health technologies, and allied health professional education programs can create train-the-trainer models to educate future professionals. The movement for digital inclusion can benefit from community partnerships in many ways.
Conclusion
Globally and within our own workplaces, the digital divide is a social justice problem. Social workers must incorporate digital inclusion strategies into their practices by making sure that services, data, and resources are available to all. This includes online application platforms that have an impact on health and well-being, delivery of conferences and degree programs, and virtual meetings and health-related sessions. Promoting social justice in the modern era requires addressing the digital divide. Engaging in assessment efforts, building training opportunities, and creating partnerships can play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide gap and creating access for all to resources and opportunities. °
Now that you have gained more insight about the digital divide, what will you do to promote social justice?
References
Barsky, A. (2023). Ethics alive! Silence is not golden - Advocating for social justice and responding to retaliation. The New Social Workers. https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/ethics-articles/silence-not-golden-advocating-social-justice-responding-retaliation
McClain, C. (2021). Thirty-four percent of lower-income home broadband users have had trouble paying for their service amid COVID-19. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/06/03/34-of-lower-income-home-broadband-users-have-had-trouble-paying-for-their-service-amid-covid-19/
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
NC Department of Information Technology (n.d.). Wi-fi bus partnership. https://www.ncbroadband.gov/covid-19/wi-fi-bus-partnership
Sieck, C. J. et al. (2021). Digital inclusion as a social determinant of health. NPJ Digital Medicine, 4(52). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00413-8
UN-Habitat (n.d.). Assessing the digital divide: Understanding internet connectivity and digital literacy in cities and communities. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNC-Habitat).
Vogels, E. A. (2021b). Digital divide persists even as Americans with lower incomes make gains in tech adoption. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/06/22/digital-divide-persists-even-as-americans-with-lower-incomes-make-gains-in-tech-adoption/
Vogels, E. A. (2021a). Some digital divides persist between rural, urban and suburban America. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/08/19/some-digital-divides-persist-between-rural-urban-and-suburban-america/
Woodside, S., & Hardy, V. (2020). Facilitating racial equity: Evaluating a leadership workshop series for school social workers. International Journal of School Social Work, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.4148/2161-4148.1051
Dr. Veronica Hardy, LCSW
Dr. Veronica L. Hardy, MSW, LCSW, has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, a Master of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare, and clinical social work licensure in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Previously a professor of social work (tenured) at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, she decided to “pivot” and create space to build upon her professional identity through social justice efforts. She continues as a part-time social work and counselor educator in undergraduate and graduate programs at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Department of Social Work) and Saint Joseph’s University (Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program) in Philadelphia, PA.