Bridging the Digital Divide – Policies and Actions

1. Bridging the Digital Divide – Policies and Actions Professor Birgit Jæger Dep. of Society and Globalisation Roskilde University Denmark

2. Digital Divide Definition • Those who have or don’t have access to computers and internet • A Global Divide • A Social Divide • A Political Divide • Multi dimensional and complex

3. Access in EU - 2010 • The Netherlands: 92 % of households • Norway: 91 % • Sweden: 90 % • Denmark: 88 % • EU: 74 % • No access to internet: • Denmark: 13 % • EU: 30 %

4. ICT-skills and Age - 2007

5. The Digital Divide • How big is the digital divide? • Definition: Never used the internet – 12 % of the Danish population • Definition: Too low ICT skills to use digital services – 41 % of the Danish population

6. What is the Problem? • A Democratic Problem: • Inclusion in the Information Society • Perspective: the single citizen • An Economic Problem: • Harvest the investments in e-government • Perspective: the public authorities

7. Motivation for Use of ICT

8. A Teacher’s Evaluation “… because the seniors get access to that part of the Danish language, which is called computer jargon, they become valid members of the society because now they can join the conversation.”

9. An Old Man “It was a jungle for me before I started. I thought I could never find out before we started. Now I have gained an insight into a whole new world… I can talk with the grandchildren about it. I am not completely an idiot; I am more equal whit other people now where I have sniffed a little to it.”

10. Policies – Part 1 • Left Wing government 1994-2001 • Info-Society Year 2000 • An Information Society build on Danish Values • Avoid a digital divide • ICT for all • The public sector as a driver

11. Danish ICT-Policy - 1994 Info-Society Year 2000: ”The strategy should be based on a Danish Model involving that market forces are not allowed to be left alone. We must make sure that a number of special values prevail, primary through a public sector effort.”

12. Actions to Prevent a Digital Divide • Mapping the problem • Research and development program: • Elderly People’s use of ICT – 1999-2004 • Six local experiments • Four research projects • Involvement of civil society organizations • DaneAge Association • The Danish Association of Senior Citizens

13. Policies – Part 2 • Right Wing government 2001 –2011 • Digital Roads to Growth • Change the focus from the users (a nation of users) to a focus on the private sector (make money) and a more effective e-government • The responsibility is at the individual level • E-government strategy 2011: One channel to the public authorities in 2015

14. Actions – Part 2 • DaneAge Association: Support and local training • The Danish Association of Senior Citizens: Internet Cafés • Develop e-government services for elderly • Learn more about ICT network – 2010 • An investigation of the motivation of seniors to use ICT

15. Recommendations • The digital divide does not disappear and is not just for seniors • Look at it as a democratic problem • Motivation: digital citizenship – not a favor to the public authorities • Acknowledge the civil society organizations • Accept non-users and continue to offer non-digital government • Rethink the digital public services for all users

16. Thank you for your attention