As more of our daily lives are performed online – from banking, to shopping, to social interaction – that nearly a quarter of Europeans have never used the internet is a worrying statistic defining a digital divide across the continent.
A recent study by Eurostat found that 24% of people aged 16-74 in the EU have never been online, with Romania at 54%. Whilst digital has not completely replaced the physical option in most cases – it is becoming increasingly difficult to be a functioning member of society without the possibility of going online. Local and national government information is moving online, and places where people could previously access printed content such as libraries are slowly being shuttered, and the postal services continue to decline with massive underinvestment.
Most companies will refer you to their website for more details on any product or service and expect the consumer to have access to that information before making a purchase (often online). The High Street is in trouble as more and more people decide not to brave the crowds and queues and instead buy their Christmas presents online – with an increasing number also turning to the web for their weekly groceries. Those without internet access do not have these options, and as belts are squeezed and local services are shuttered – those left unconnected are at a major disadvantage.
For its part, the EU’s Digital Agenda for Europe strategy aims to reduce the number of unconnected to 15% by 2015, and today’s 24% is a notable reduction from 42% five years ago – but this is not enough. For those that are “internet refuseniks” – those who have the money and possibility of connection but choose not to, then this is fine – but there is no way 54% of Romanians choose not to be online. Those without a connection are increasingly excluded from emerging opportunities – we would think it outrageous for a household not to have a phone today, and I would say the internet is more central to living standards than that. Not being able to send or receive emails in the modern economy is basically saying goodbye to any chance of anything but a job of manual labour. The internet is where the opportunities are.
Some countries saw the power of the internet and the importance of connection very early such as Sweden, where the unconnected is about 5% (the highest rate of internet penetration in the study). The UK came in 6th with 11%, but we need huge investment in broadband to give those out in the countryside the same opportunities offered in the cities. The internet can be the great equaliser, as anyone can download or upload anything, can remix, can share, can interact – we all need similar possibilities of access. Those out in the small town and villages need a fast and constant connection just as much as those in central London – funding for central and local government services are drying up, with each council slowly dragging itself online, and Data.gov.uk offering insights like never before. No-one should be excluded from this.