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Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 1
Benefits of Bridging Digital Divide
Many e-society benefits are even stronger in poor countries
Shop/learn/book/vote/etc at home» Especially valuable if travel is difficult» Limited choice even in major cities?» Avoid huge queues at train stations, etc
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 2
Information provision
Big benefit to making info available» Prices (which port pays most for fish?)» Service updates (eg, trains)» Govt info: rules, announcements, etc» Educational material
– Internet fantastic for academics in poor countries
» Health advice» etc
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 3
Commercial Benefits
Outsourcing: Web makes it easier for people in India, etc to provide services for people in wealthy countries» More well-paid (by Indian standard) jobs
Cheaper purchasing» Not at mercy of local monopolists
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 4
Political benefits?
Bureaucratic corruption, incompetent, indifference often huge problem» Can Web help reduce this?
Political repression major problem» Can Web help reduce this
Controversial
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 5
Discussion
Comments from class members ? especially from diverse countries
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 6
Digital Divide: UK
Internet Access in UK Does Digital Exclusion hurt people? Can Net/Web help underclass?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 7
Internet Access in UK
70% of UK households have Internet access» 63% have broadband
Who does not have access?» “digitally excluded”
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/iahi0809.pdf Generally: People who use it use it a lot
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 8
Age matters most
Proportion never used Internet» 16-24: very small» 25-44: 5%» 45-54: 16%» 55-64: 24%» 65+: 64%
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 9
Education also matters
Household Internet access» 95% of adults with degrees (<70 years)» 52% of adults with no quals (<70 years)
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 10
Disabilities matter?
In 2004, only 30% of disabled adults had Internet access» Compared to 50% overall in 2004» Don’t know what 2009 figures are, I
assume gap persists
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 11
Does poverty matter?
When asked why their household does not have Internet access, 25% say too expensive» But govt provides free Internet access in
public libraries, which is not heavily used» So not just poverty…
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 12
Why people say no access
34%: don’t need it 24%: don’t want it 15%: equipment too expensive 15%: lack skills 11%: access (phone/broadband) too exp 10%: have access elsewhere
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 13
Why no access
Quotes from Demos report» I’d love to give it a go, I just don’t know
where to start» Just stick to what you know, that’s what I
say» You can’t miss what you never had» I’m a big fan of using the Internet to send
pictures long distance to family, I just don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 14
Access mostly at home
Use Internet» At home: 94%» At work: 43%» Someone else’s home: 28%» School, uni: 15%» Internet café: 6% » Library: 5%
Public access (library) not too common
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 15
Does location matter?
Five years ago, many rural areas did not have good Internet access
Difference in rural/urban household Internet access not clear from statistics
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 16
Mobile access less common
Access Internet via» Laptop with wireless: 26%» 2G mobile: 18%» 3G mobile: 8%
Different from many third-world countries, where most people access net via mobiles
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 17
Summary
Who does not use Internet Elderly, poorly educated, disabled
» don’t want to change» lack skills to use Internet, scared of it?
– Put off by jargon: eg, “blog” vs “diary”
» harder to use net because of disabilities?– Head-switch vs mouse
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 18
Child with Head Switch
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 19
Many exceptions!!
Many elderly, poorly educated, disabled people use the Internet every day!» Vera (76): I’ve only been using computers
for a couple of years, and it took some convincing to get started, but now Iove it
Statistical generalisations, not absolute laws
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 20
Impact
Does “digital exclusion” hurt people?» Keep in mind elderly, disabled, poorly
educated are already “bottom of the heap” How would Internet access help these
people?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 21
Benefits of E-Society
Cheaper, better goods» Elderly, disabled have hard time shopping
around More social interaction via email, etc
» Elderly, disabled often isolated Better education, work prospects
» For poorly educated
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 22
Costs of E-Society
Fears that digitally excluded will be left behind as society goes digital» Worse access to govt services» Closure of local bookstores, etc because of
e-competition» Feeling left behind in general, as society
embraces the web/net– Enhance social isolation
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 23
Govt programs
Many govt initiatives» Provide computers to poor people,
especially young people» Provide computers in community centres,
libraries» Subsidise broadband in rural areas
UK has Minister for Digital Inclusion» Not clear to me what he does…
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 24
Example: Social Isolation
Many elderly people in UK live on their own, away from family» Really want contact with (grand)children
Internet can help» Email, Skype, social networks, …
Internet can hurt» Grandchildren not interested in face-to-face visits
How do you interact with your (grand)parents» Does Internet help or hurt?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 25
Can Net help solve social prob
One of UK’s biggest problem is “underclass”» 20% of population who live in sink estates,
can’t read, can’t get a job, etc Can net/web/e-society help such people
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 26
SkillSum again
Reminder: research project to assess people with poor reading and maths skills» Web-based» Encourage people to get help if appropriate
Didn’t work well because of IPR/face-to-face issues
Would it help if it did work?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 27
Yes it would help
Helping the underclass get good jobs is the best way to help them
They cannot get decent jobs if they cannot read or do basic maths
E-learning can help them acquire these skills
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 28
No it won’t help
Other problems need to be solved Kate X (16 yrs old, bright, uneducated)
» Main barrier is that her peers beat her up (hospitalise her) if she seems to take her education seriously
Brian Y (17 yrs old, bright, uneducated)» Doing well, learning reading/maths; but
wants to be a plumber and there aren’t any such jobs locally (and he won’t move)
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 29
Stories
Jane Z (24 yrs old, avg intelligence)» Working as shop assistant, can’t get better
job unless improve reading/maths» Drug addict: trying to quit, but borrowed
money from local pusher at loan shark rates, cannot pay this off, pusher’s goons attacked her boyfriend for non-payment
» Hard to help her until drug problem resolved
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 30
Can we help
E-Society limited help to people who are truly bottom of heap?» E-Society in third-world countries: not
much help to people who are worried about getting enough to eat
» E-Society in UK: not much help to drug addict in debt thralldom to local pusher
More help to people who have more moderate problems?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 31
Other ways of helping
E-govt: better access to benefits, social housing
E-commerce: easier to apply for jobs, more aware of jobs outside local area
E-health: info on diet, smoking, etc Do these work?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen 32
Class opinions?
Can we use net/web/e-society to help the underclass?
Or is this pointless because it doesn’t address the “real” underlying problems?