Digital Disenfranchisement

Increasingly, people are expected to have access to a full range of digital tools, along with facility in using them, to fully participate in societal functions in the United States.  For example, a person is expected to have a wireless phone account and a smartphone, an email account, a fast internet connection, a computer, a printer/copier/scanner, and a portfolio of software programs and apps that they are able to use with skill.  A person is also assumed to have an account with a full-service online bank where they can receive direct deposits and pay by direct debit.  Having one or more credit card accounts and an electronic payment account such as PayPal is also expected.

Today, a person is asked to interact with institutions digitally wherever possible rather than by exchanging paper, e.g. for paying bills, purchasing goods, and banking.  Organizations of all types seek to get away from mailing paper statements and receiving paper checks in the mail.  Similarly, a person is expected to receive their news and entertainment (television, radio, etc.) via streaming over an internet connection rather than via cable or over-the-air broadcasts, which are going away.

These developments cause serious problems for substantial segments of U.S. society, including.

• People who don’t have internet access because of where they live (e.g., in remote areas).
• People who can’t afford to pay for the digital resources required (hardware, software, subscription services, etc.). Taken together, these can add up to substantial costs.
• People who have physical limitations for using these facilities (e.g., poor vision, difficulty typing, etc.).
• People who have cognitive limitations for being able to use these facilities (e.g., dyslexia).
• People who have limited proficiency in written English.
• People who don’t have support resources for using these facilities (e.g., digital system instructors, consultants for solving problems, repair technicians, etc.).

What happens for students in homes that can’t afford all of these facilities?  Remote education has all sorts of assumptions about what students are able to provide.  What happens for patients who don’t have all these facilities to be able to use telemedicine interactions with medical care?  What happens for people who are asked to work from home rather than go in to a physical office if they have limited digital system capabilities?

There are all sorts of things that can go wrong with digital systems.  What happens when people have a problem and can’t get the issue resolved quickly due to limited access to system experts able to fix such problems?  There are major differences in the scope and quality of teaching young people to take full advantage of digital technologies in their educational environment.

Many areas in the world are moving toward the elimination of paper ballots in favor of online voting only.  This changes the characteristics of who votes in an election to disproportionately represent those who are well connected digitally.

This gulf in digital connectivity is increasingly significant.  According to a report from the Pew Research Center in 2021, approximately one quarter of American adults do not have access to broadband internet service. That number does not account for the millions of people who are under-connected or whose internet connection is not stable.  Worldwide, about 4 billion people lack access to broadband internet service.  The digital divide is especially acute for low income and BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) communities.

Without internet access, entire communities face systemic disadvantages.  In today’s environment, the digital economy is where jobs, commerce, and innovation happen. People without internet access are cut off from remote work, digital entrepreneurship, and online marketplaces.  Students who lack reliable internet service are hindered in their learning. The so-called “digital homework gap” disproportionately affects low-income families.  After COVID, telehealth has become increasingly important, especially for rural communities with disappearing local medical facilities.  When they lack internet access, people are unable to take advantage of virtual doctor visits, order prescriptions, or use online mental health services.  Citizens without internet access are less likely to participate in citizen affairs, leading to civic disengagement, so their voices are not heard.

My view is that digital disenfranchisement is a serious problem that needs urgent and focused attention to preserve democratic equity in our society.  Otherwise, we are in danger of leaving large numbers of people behind, with little chance to catch up to the rest of society.