New research: The digital divide still a significant issue in Australia; 80% of over 65’s finding it difficult to keep up
This month the Good Things Foundation Australia released their Digital Nation Australia 2021 research report. The report brings together the latest research and insights from government, community and academia to help build understanding of the digital inclusion landscape in Australia and inform initiatives that could close the digital divide for all.
The research highlights that the digital divide is still a significant issue in modern Australia, particularly with the rapid pace of digitisation brought forward by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The positive news is that the digital divide is slowly improving in Australia, and that initial research points to more people being active online than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, some groups are still more at risk of digital exclusion than others, and are at risk of being left behind and face increasing barriers when interacting with a digitised society.
Here are some of my key takeaways from the report.
The state of our digital nation
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) shows that levels of digital inclusion are increasing over time in Australia, but the rate of this increase is slowing. In 2020, the national ADII score was 63.0 out of 100, a slight increase on the previous year.
Rapid digitisation means that affordable digital access and digital skills are paramount to thrive in today’s society.
While the full impact of the pandemic on the Australian digital divide is not yet fully evident in digital inclusion research, it is clear that this rapid digitisation means that affordable digital access and digital skills are paramount to thrive in today’s society.
Bridging the divide
Three main factors influence a person’s ability to cross the digital divide: ability, affordability, and access.
Access to the internet
While Australia’s mobile footprint covers more than 99% of the population, only one-third of the total land area has mobile connectivity. This means that services are limited, especially in rural and remote areas.
Data poverty and affordability
Affordability of the internet and devices is a significant factor in data poverty and a barrier to closing the digital divide. Data poverty is used to describe those “individuals, households or communities who cannot afford sufficient, private, and secure mobile or broadband data to meet their essential needs.”
Digital ability and attitudes
Less than 40% of Australians are confident that they can keep up with the rapid pace of changing technology, and less than 50% believe digital technology gives them greater control over their lives. For older Australians this increases, with 80% finding it difficult to keep up with the fast pace of technological changes, and only 34% of older people feeling that technology gives them more control over their lives. The same research shows that only 28% of older Australians would go out of their way to learn about technology, and 67% are worried about the invasion of their privacy through new technology.
Essential skills
There are essential digital skills that all internet users need to be safe online and resilient to technological changes. Essential digital skills including foundational skills such as turning on a device and accessing apps or programs, communications skills including email and messaging apps, skills for work including complying with security protocols of a workplace, and transactional and information handling skills. To build digital resilience to changing technologies, people need to have these basic skills. It is important to note that as technology changes, the essential skills required may also need to evolve.
The Be Connected program has shown that community-based essential digital skills programs create significant social return on investment of $4 for every $1 spent, and effectively help to improve people’s confidence and essential digital skills.
People aged over 65
The risk of digital exclusion increases with a person’s age, particularly when it comes to access and digital ability. Australians aged over 65 years record an overall ADII score 13.3 points lower than the Australian average.
Older Australians have increased their use of digital technology during the pandemic, but still lag behind younger generations. Affordable access is a big barrier for older Australians, particularly those on low incomes. Both the ADII access and affordability scores for people aged over 65 are significantly lower than the national average. From research with the Be Connected Network, we also know that many who need digital skills support in this age group did not have access to an appropriate, internet connected device they can use at home during the pandemic.
People with disability
Since 2014, the digital inclusion gap for Australians with disability has changed very little, and they are more likely to be digitally excluded with an ADII score 10.4 points lower than the national average.
First Nations People
Lower levels of affordable access and online participation means that First Nations peoples in Australia are more likely to experience exclusion from our digital society. Between 2019 and 2020, there was no improvement in the overall ADII score for First Nations people.
Currently, as estimated 30% of First Nations people living in remote indigenous communities do not have household access to internet or telephone services, despite improvements in infrastructure. For First Nations school children this disparity is clear, with 21% without internet access at home compared to 5% for all public-school students.
Affordability is a persistent key issue for First Nations people.
Due to the rapid digitisation of essential services, information and education moving online, and risks associated with COVID-19 for the First Nations population, the need for affordable internet connectivity and the skills to use it is more evident than ever. Very few remote First Nations communities were able to readily access services like MyGov and education or work from home during COVID-19 restrictions due to lower levels of digital inclusion. To that point, equal digital inclusion of First Nations people has recently been recognised as essential to Closing the Gap, being identified as one of the 17 national targets to ensure equal access to information and services in the National Closing the Gap Agreement. Investment is needed to ensure that this target is achieved and that First Nations people co-design or lead digital inclusion strategies.
Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) new migrants and refugees
While overall CALD communities have average levels of digital inclusion according to the ADII, research suggests that newly arrived migrants and refugees experience higher levels of digital exclusion. Research with settlement services indicates that digital inclusion is a key barrier for delivering on their priorities with new migrants and refugees. A lack of digital skills can impact a person’s ability to find secure, meaningful and sustainable employment, which is an important step for a refugees’ or new migrants’ successful settlement in Australia.
Living in regional and remote areas
Despite some recent improvements in access, people living in regional and rural areas of Australia are still considerably less digitally included than their metro peers. In 2020, the “Capital-Country Gap’’ was evident across all areas of digital inclusion, with the ADII score being 7.6 points lower in rural areas than capital cities.
The importance of digital access and inclusion in regional and remote areas has been highlighted by the recent movement online of essential services, such as banking, health, government services, work, and education. Even before COVID-19 restrictions, people living in geographically remote areas of Australia had decreased access to services.
What does the digital divide mean to Australia?
COVID-19 has accelerated four key trends: the move from offline to online for businesses, remote work, remote learning, and new service delivery channels such as telehealth.
Social isolation and loneliness
Loneliness has been described as “one of the most pressing public health issues of our time”, with COVID-19 restrictions elevating the risk of social isolation. Between March and April in 2020, one in two Australians reported feeling lonelier since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Increased digital participation through improved skills and confidence contributes to social connectedness and enhances social and economic inclusion. An evaluation of the community based digital skills program for over 50s, Be Connected, showed a reduction in loneliness for participants over the program’s duration.
Access to information in a crisis
People need to have the digital skills and confidence to find reliable information online in an emergency, contact friends and family, and connect with their community and essential recovery and support services. Recent emergency situations, such as the 2019-20 bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the importance of nationwide digital inclusion.
The recent Royal Commission into Natural Disasters reported that natural disasters can emphasise existing vulnerabilities, such as low levels of digital literacy, or disrupt internet and communications services, limiting people’s ability to access digital and online recovery information and services. They recommended that community education and engagement programs have a strong role to play in building disaster resilience in communities by providing information that is accessible, accurate and authoritative, and that this information needs to be provided both online and offline and include details on how digital services may be affected in emergencies.
Not-for-profit and community sector
While many not-for-profits were able to continue operations during the pandemic through digitisation and saw overall demand increase, many people faced barriers in accessing these services due to low digital inclusion.
The sector is also increasingly digitising, with two-thirds now reporting that their systems support their teams to work in-office or remotely, and nearly half having moved to the cloud. This means that not-for-profit staff members and volunteers have had to rapidly upskill in order to provide their essential services and skills support to their community. 48% of organisations feel that the pandemic has made improving digital capabilities in their workforce a bigger priority. Overall, 49% of not-for-profit staff are not confident using technology, but the bigger the organisation that they work for, the more confident and digitally capable staff tend to be.
Volunteers are an important part of the not-for profit workforce that need considering in digital transformation initiatives. While the majority of organisations had not recommenced their full volunteering programs since the pandemic hit, 25% of respondents in a recent survey of the volunteering sector said they are now engaging more volunteers remotely or digitally than before the pandemic, and 20% want support to increase the number of volunteers engaged in this way.
For organisations providing services to people at risk of digital exclusion, additional barriers have had to be overcome during the pandemic when they were unable to provide their usual service offerings. 75% of Good Things Foundation Australia’s network of community organisations said that some or all of the people they supported to learn digital skills lacked digital devices to use at home.
Accessing and providing essential services
Along with many businesses and organisations undertaking digital transformation, there is a big focus on moving government services online. It is estimated that $20.5 billion could be saved through a move of government services to online. The Australian Government has a stated goal for all government services to be available online by 2025, and have been investing in digital service provision through their recent COVID-impacted federal budgets.
Digitisation of healthcare
84% of Australian internet users used telehealth for the first time or increased their usage of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, 50% of older Australians started using telehealth for the first time, and 29% increased their use. However, research shows that the majority of people used their telephone for telehealth appointments, with only a small minority of consultations via video conference.
Moving forward, the rise in digital health provides opportunities for communities with traditionally poorer access to health care, such as those in remote areas, to have improved access. Conversely, the digital health divide means that vulnerable populations can be marginalised further if they don’t have equitable access. Those most likely to be missing out on the benefits of digital health due to time, cost, preference or low digital ability, are also more likely to have higher healthcare needs. All Australians need to have the skills and confidence to access reliable health services and information online, and the affordable access to do so.
If your organisation is facing any of these challenges, please feel free to contact me to see how we can help.
Paul is an experienced business professional with a demonstrated history of working in the professional services, financial markets and banking industry. He has managed successful teams and businesses based on his ability to understand customer needs, manage people and articulate ideas.