The International City/County Management Association’s Building Digital Communities: A Framework for Action (2011) defines digital inclusion as, “the ability of individuals and groups to access and use information and communications technology.” In Austin, it is our mission to ensure all residents have access to the skills, knowledge, and devices needed to empower their lives through digital technology. In this spirit, the ICMA also outlines seven principles that serve as the foundations for digital inclusion. This section explains each foundational principle and its connection to the Austin community.
Availability
Without access to the Internet, Austinites do not have the opportunity to engage in the digital world, and the other digital inclusion principles referenced within this framework cannot be achieved. Availability needs to arise within two segments of society: multi-user environments and individual households.
Public multi-user environments, such as libraries, educational institutions, public access computer labs, and other community-serving entities, provide essential services, access, and programming to Austinites. These institutions require sufficient bandwidth and staffing to fully address the needs of clients. Additionally, the availability of faster Internet speeds can revolutionize how these institutions function and can enhance their ability to address needs within the community.
Households also need availability to ensure that individuals can have consistent and reliable access to and engagement in the digital world. An Internet connection in the home allows for more convenient and effective use of online tools to search for jobs, complete schoolwork, pay bills, fill out necessary documents, and much more. Reliable and sufficient bandwidth allows families to take advantage of more Internet features and opportunities relevant to daily living needs.
Currently, 92% of Austinites are connected to the Internet through some device and, to some extent, take advantage of Internet availability within the city. Yet, that leaves 8% who currently do not access the digital world and many more who have limited or inconsistent access. Therefore, the availability of an appropriate internet connection remains an issue in Austin.
Although four different Internet providers offer a wide variety of access packages, consumers are often not aware of their options or may be excluded from some options based on cost, location, or other factors. Additionally, Austinites and local institutions may not know how to obtain or upgrade their access.
Based on observations from the community, we know that opportunities exist within Austin to enhance availability.
Affordability
To access the digital space, institutions and individuals need the necessary hardware and software. However, the cost of devices and connectivity is a significant barrier to access for many Austinites. Pricing structures and support systems to enable businesses, institutions, and households to afford access to broadband and digital technologies are essential.
Austinites access the Internet through many different means and devices. Smartphones are increasingly used as an Internet access point. In 2014, 83 percent of Austinites own smartphones, which is a dramatic increase from 2010 when a similar citywide survey was conducted and found that only 51% of Austinites had smartphones. Tablets, another new and popular device, are now owned by nearly 60 percent of Austinites. Laptops and desktop computers are still widely used, with the majority of Austinites stating in the current survey that they access the Internet through personal computers at least daily.
But not every individual or institution can afford the hardware, IT-related services, or broadband connection necessary to ensure continued access to the Internet. More than half of Internet non-users agree that cost is a reason why they do not use the Internet. Additionally, many community-servicing institutions have limited resources to maintain or expand their current technology infrastructure. Affordability represents an issue that Austin must address to ensure digital inclusion.
Based on observations from the community, we know that opportunities currently exist within Austin to unlock this affordability principle.
Public Access
Many Austinites do not have Internet access within their home. This may occur for a host of reasons, such as cost or lack of interest. But even for those who only have a home connection, the digital world is always on, so consistent access is becoming essential both at home and away from home. Therefore, even when out and about in the community, individuals need access to the Internet.
Uninterrupted technology and connectivity available through free public access, especially for those who have little or no communication technology available in the home, is essential for digital inclusion.
Austin has a long history of funding and promoting public access facilities. Austin Free-Net, a nonprofit organization that provides free public computer labs and training, began operations in 1995 and serves approximately 5,000 unique users per month across all of its facilities. Austin Public, serving the community since 2005, provides digital media technology access and training to Austinites, and hosts and streams local video content. Additionally, the City of Austin helps maintains access through its Austin Public Libraries, other public facilities like City Hall, and partnerships with organizations like Austin Free-Net and Austin Public. Many Austinites use these public access facilities as their gateway to the Internet and digital world.
Yet, with ongoing unmet needs within Austin, much more can be done to ensure that Austinites utilize free public access facilities and networks.
Design for Inclusion
To be truly inclusive, digital services in Austin must strive to erase the boundaries in language, culture, mobility, literacy, and other dividers in our city that keep some from using technology to its full potential. Reducing the obstacles to utilizing technology through principles of effective design must be a main objective of the digital inclusion plan.
Austin is home to people of all ages, races, and income levels. Austinites also have a wide range of abilities related to the use of technology, running the gamut from high-level executives at technology firms to those without any knowledge of how to use a mouse or keyboard. To ensure that all Austinites have the ability to access and utilize the Internet, digital inclusion efforts must be tailored to all demographics. This includes programming and outreach that can incorporate differences in language, culture, physical abilities, age, literacy, and other aspects of life.
Relevance
Some Austinites may perceive Internet access to be a luxury that they don’t need or isn’t worth the cost, as opposed to a crucial utility to meet daily living needs in our increasingly digital world. Such attitudes stem from a lack of exposure to the Internet due to issues of affordability, access, or otherwise. These issues create the perception that the Internet is irrelevant to the lives of some of our city’s residents – a perception which has real economic and social costs for non-users. And unfortunately, as attitudes become ingrained, this perception could prevent some non-users from trying to participate in increased digital inclusion services.
The Internet is becoming an increasingly essential piece of our lives - today, it is almost impossible to live without. In Austin, the Internet is essential if you want to apply for most jobs, access governmental services, or just stay current with news and social responsibilities. Additionally, expanded technological skills can lead to better jobs and an improved life. Yet structural and perceived barriers make some feel as though the digital world is not for them. To fully realize digital inclusion, we need to ensure that everyone recognizes the potential benefits related to the use of technology and the Internet, and is able to integrate those benefits into their own life. It falls on institutions promoting digital inclusion to demonstrate the relevance and benefits of adopting technology.
Based on observations from the community, we know that there are many individuals, organizations and programs that do seek to demonstrate the relevance of digital technology.
Digital Literacy
Digital literacy skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use information to achieve goals, are a necessary pathway to digital inclusion. These skills may be imparted through professionally-administered classes, dialogues with public access lab instructors, or just informal conversations with a friend, family member, or neighbor. All of these interactions are important to move individuals along the spectrum of digital literacy and ensure that they attain the level of skills necessary to fully participate in the digital world.
Digital literacy relates to a spectrum of technological skills - from the use of a mouse to the coding of a website. Institutions and programs currently exist within Austin to address digital literacy needs. Available programs range from introductory computer to advanced programming classes. Yet we still see that individuals lacking digital literacy do not seek out or request skills training. More than one-third of these Internet non-users surveyed in our citywide study said they were interested in participating in free training through a local organization. In particular, non-users were interested in receiving training on how to edit and create their own work, use email, and operate software.
Online Consumer Safety
Consumers — both individual and institutional — need accurate, unbiased information on how to safely navigate the digital world.
Through the efforts of digital inclusion, we hope to have all Austinites online and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the Internet. Currently, Austinites use the Internet to buy goods, manage personal finances, health care, and other costs, and to stay connected. All of these activities involve sharing sensitive information, which puts personal information at risk of being compromised. The vast amount of information available online can also be confusing for new users, who may be unsure which sites to trust as accurate or legitimate and which to avoid. These risks dissuade many people from using the Internet and may make others wary of continued use. In fact, more than half of Internet non-users in the Austin Digital Assessment cited privacy concerns as a reason they do not use the Internet. Therefore, we need to address consumer safety so that Austinites may access the Internet with the knowledge and understanding necessary to protect personal information.