A recent study by British Telecom (BT) has forecast that by 2025 40% of the UK’s population will be without Internet access.
Currently 52% (12.5 million) Britons have access to the Internet, but the report predicts that 23 million people in Britain will be digitally excluded by 2025 and that they risk losing access to fundamental information and education services.
BT’s findings warn that the gap between the “have-nets” and “have-nots” will greatly widen if measures are not taken by the government, commercial organisations and designers of new technology to engage people who so far have rejected the digital age.
The risk is that an increasing amount of everyday tasks will be carried out online and that millions of people will be marginalized and excluded.
According to the new analysis, in 2025 people on low incomes will account for a quarter of the total number of Britons who are digitally excluded. People with disabilities are also among the high risk category for exclusion with the percentage increasing from 10% to 16% in the next two decades. The 60-89 age group are predicted to make up 31% of those cut off from the benefits of the Internet.
However, digital optimists believe that convergence and the emergence of more user friendly technology will slow down digital exclusion. Indeed research by Nielsen//NetRatings said that in Europe the number of people using the Internet is up by 60% and that the UK has experienced double digit growth over the past 12 months.(see WPP Moves Into In-Game Advertising)
The report also stresses the need for more resources to be devoted to understanding currently disengaged groups’ needs and potential use for online technology.
Adrian Hosford, director of BT’s corporate responsibility said: “Britain could be facing grave consequences if the digital divide is not taken seriously. If we don’t address this problem now it will get worse and people will find it more difficult to find jobs, education opportunities will be limited and they’ll simply not be able to keep up in society.”
He continued: “However, organisations like BT can help tackle the problem and we’ve been working with the government and other agencies for many years and can see wondrous results.”
The Government recently set up the Alliance for Digital Inclusion (ADI), an independent body of industry members and volunteers to help combat this issue and promote the use of Information and Communications technology for social benefit.
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