Digital Inclusion in the era of the Smartphone Becky Department of Communication and Systems, Faculty of Maths, Computing and Technology

What I’m going to talk about today Introducing my research Origins and development of digital inclusion as a concept Workshop – Smartphones, mobile phones and tablets and technological inclusion Reflections and discussion on the role of these devices in overcoming digital exclusion Note on terminology: Informed by the framing of my research I’m discussing digital rather than technological inclusion

My research Research question “How does the use of mobile phones and smartphones by young women who are unemployed and on low- incomes contribute to their capabilities?” Methodologies: Participatory creation workshops Semi-structured interviews Inspired by feminist HCI practice

My research Frameworks: Policy: UK ‘digital by default’ policy: delivery of transactional government services through digital channels which might “reinforce the social exclusion of a sizeable segment of the population” Theoretical: Capability theory (Sen, Nussbaum) - gives us an understanding how people's perceptions of their own situations and capacities might be constrained by poverty or marginalisation, also technofeminist theory e.g. genderscripts

Digital inclusion and the ‘digital divide’ Arrival of mass communications and ubiquitous networked digital technologies transformed society These transformations are experienced differently by different members of society ‘Digital divide' emerged as to describe inequalities of access to information technologies First used in international development contexts

Digital inclusion and the ‘digital divide’ Link between social inclusion and digital inclusion well established in UK government policy Significant in policy terms both in international development and in UK and European policy contexts: “Questions concerning who is ‘connected’ to information and technology have grown in prominence and now form an important element to the information age policy agenda in industrialized, ‘technologically advanced’ countries” (White & Selwyn, 2011)

Gradations and mobile internet access Gradations In recent years dichotomous view of digital haves and have nots challenged Notion of gradations in digital divide - moving beyond access to determine how issues of ‘equipment, autonomy, skills, support and purpose’ shape successful interaction online (DiMaggio, P.Hargittai, E. et al., 2001) Mobile internet access 17.6 million mobile phone internet users in % of AB socio-economic groups use the internet on mobiles compared to 20% of D and E social groups.

Exercise: Use your phone/tablet to either: 1.Find your MEP’s name and address 2.Check the council tax banding of your house

Questions for reflection What barriers did you encounter? What if this was your only means of accessing the internet? What kind of instrumental uses do you make of your phone?

Thank