Access to the internet
The percentage of the population that has access to the internet at home and elsewhere has increased 26% from 2002 and now stands at 57%. [1] The prominence of mobile technologies and other devices (such as digital TV) that perform internet functions will further facilitate public access to the internet. However, there is still a significant proportion of the population who do not have access to the internet. (See digital exclusion).
What are the implications?
- An ‘Always on’ 24/7 society.
- More public services available online.
- Increasing amounts of information available about the VCS.
- A long tail aggregation of dispersed niche communities of interest.
- Rising expectations of public services and a personalisation of services.
- Increase in planned individual giving online and overall as donors are more able to find out about new causes.
- Democratisation of the media as the public is able to create their own news and set their own agendas through blogging and online forums.
- Growth in online user feedback and interactive websites
- Increase in direct payments and individual accounts for users of services.
- Those who are digitally excluded may become even more marginalised as internet access becomes more widespread.
Moving forward
- Can your organisation reach new audiences through ICT? This could be in the form of volunteers, or donors?
- Can you tap into the expertise of your users to build new knowledge communities, and host and moderate online peer-to-peer services?
Online services risk excluding some groups, and it is therefore important that the sector continues to support and combat any possible marginalisation that may occur.
- Does your organisation have a policy or strategy in place to ensures it accounts for any possible exclusion that online services might bring?
Link ONS stats – internet access.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=8
Want to know more?
Internet Access: Households and Individuals
Published by: Office for National Statistics - a Government Department
Date: 2006
Format: PDF
What is it? A statistical analysis of internet access in Britain for households and individuals.
How useful is this? A useful analysis which breaks down access statistics by: region; gender; age group; income; type of connection; and over time. It looks at what people use the Internet for, where they use it, frequency of use and where they learnt ICT skills. It also looks at reasons why people do not have the Internet.
Other comments:
Broadband Britain: The end of asymmetry?
Published by: Demos, a left of centre think tank
Date: 2004
Format: PDF
What is it? This report investigates what increased Broadband access and increased confidence of users will mean for public institutions.
How useful is this? A useful article for organisations delivering public services and/or engaging with communities. This report outlines how Broadband access may allow a shift of power from institutions to individuals. It looks at the growing confidence of Broadband users and explores what they will come to expect from public services under 4 headings: flexibility; personal support and engagement; community; and citizen leadership.
How online communities can make the net work for the VCS
Published by: NCVO
Date: 2007
Format: PDF
What is it? A report examining the development of online communities and social networking sites and exploring what they might mean for the VCS.
How useful is this? A useful report on how to use new opportunities presented by the Internet. This report examines how the internet is impacting on people’s relationships with each other and with organisations by looking at the development of online communities and social networking sites and exploring strategic opportunities and risks for VCOs.
References
Recent discussion
How will this affect your organisation? Have you considered it during your strategic planning? Can you share any interesting relevant links?Join the discussion!
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Jake
I found this blog post on supply side pressures affecting internet access in Australia a useful aside:
Australian broadband not as fast as the kids would like
Véronique
Third Sector ForesightI think it’s really important for organisations to consider how their stakeholders might not have access to the internet. The internet is obviously a very hot topic at the moment and will probably continue to be a hot topic for a long time, but it’s important not to loose sight of the other ways organisations communicate and reach people. I guess it’s about being diverse…and strategic.
Karl
Third Sector ForesightI agree this is a problem, but is the access issue reaching a tipping point? The Internet World Stats website reports that 62% of the population in the UK now has web access. I think that Ofcom estimates are even higher. Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 billion people have web access.
One of the problems about the debate on internet access is that it is a very PC-centric model. I can’t pin down the research – I think it’s by Gartner – but in essence they argue that shortly more mobile phones will be connected to the interne than PCs. My guess is that the mobile phone is perhaps the most democratic, classless piece of technology in use today, whether in the UK or worldwide. So maybe the Smartphone will signal the end of the digital divide.
A second problem is that it is assumed to be a supply-side issue (i.e. supply is too limited/too expensive). But technology adoption is also a demand side issue. I wonder if some people just don’t see the relevance, or the PC/internet doesn’t fit with their lifestyle? So, for a number of years Sky’s dustbin lid was probably not bolted to many homes in Islington as it was a piece of technology with class connotations. The PS3, Xbox etc are similar bits of technology with a particular demographic. Perhaps the final point to note here is that all these devices (and your fridge too, if you fancy it) will all connect to the internet.
Nicholas
Karl’s right about the ever-increasing number of devices that enable you to connect to the internet. Convergence as the geeks call it is ever-increasing. It isn’t difficult to imagine a small device that combines phone, camera, GPS, MP3 player, digital TV, digital radio, Sky +, gaming, virtual money, and works your house key and alarm. I wouldn’t be surprised if such a thing already exists.
From RNIB’s perspective there are two risks with this (and some opportunities). One is price, which although it always tumbles as a product becomes more widely adopted, will tend to be very high upon initial launch. This is a very practical barrier to many charity beneficiaries. The other is accessibility in the sense of it being possible to use a device if you don’t have perfect vision. The internet has actually been a huge boon to many blind and partially sighted people (and I have a blind colleague who recently arrived at a meeting using a personal GPS!). But only if accessibility is built in at the outset. Things like touch-screen interfaces and on-screen menus without an audio description function are huge barriers.
So for the sector more broadly I guess the issues are price, physically being able to access such devices, the decreasing choice for those who do not wish to leap on the fancy new technology bandwagon. The opportunity is to try to work with government, designers and manufacturers to ensure that industry standards take account of diverse needs, which is exactly what we’re trying to do on various fronts.
Tony
A recent report from Pew Internet says that the internet is now a major channel of interaction for teenagers in America, I’m sure ours in the UK aren’t too far behind them. Organisations who provide support and services to this group are going to have to make sure they target their efforts to make the best use of social media and similar channels.