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The digital divide

  • Posted by Mike Butcher
  • 18 May 2007

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden says even though there are more and more public services being put online, they won't discriminate against those without access to the internet. Yet there remains a crucial third of the population effectively not online.

He admits being online is both "cost effective and more efficient" so the sheer draw of delivering services this way could prove too tempting for government, despite denials to the contrary.

There are already signs that you are at an increasing disadvantage without the internet, for example Easy Jet has for years now operated an online only booking policy, so cheaper fares only go to those with access.

Surely part of the answer to this digital apartheid is to boost public library provision of Internet terminals and to put terminals into post offices? Assuming there are any left of course. What about free Wif-Fi around Post Offices? Perhaps that's too much to hope for.....

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2 comments from readers

  • You're right.

    If McFadden is interested, he could start addressing 'digital apartheid' (nice phrase) by lifting the threat of funding cuts from UK Online Centres

    Submitted by paul canning, 24 May 2007

  • You're right, Mike.

    I'd like to see public libraries offering a little more than just 'access' too. For example, showing people what's out there, what they can do. I don't think just plonking machines in front of people is enough.

    But library staff can be as dippy as Tony Blair on this one. The head librarian at my own local library believes wi-fi (now on offer in the borough) provides machines with power, and therefore does away with the need for power cables! And things kind of go downhill from there... Getting library staff up to speed is imperative.

    Submitted by Louise Ferguson, 29 May 2007

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