The Digital Divide Is a Human Rights Issue: Advancing Social Inclusion Through Social Work Advocacy

The Digital Divide Is a Human Rights Issue: Advancing Social Inclusion Through Social Work Advocacy

by 12/02/2021

Overcoming the Digital Divide

Bringing all Americans into the information age will require a momentous effort on the scale of the federal project that brought electricity to darkened regions of the country during the New Deal. However, in the absence of such an initiative, we must continue to move forward with local and state initiatives and as social workers engage in policy practice that reaches vulnerable groups in the digital divide including low-income communities, people of color, older, and rural populations. Using a slightly modified version of Bliss’s (2015) model of advocacy, we propose a six-step model for social workers to utilize in digital inclusion activism, recognizing that state and local contexts will shape the specifics of strategic decisions that are made at each point along the way. However, drawing upon existing digital activism efforts and the best policy and program practices that have emerged in states with extant broadband access initiatives, we suggest a number of goals that might be useful for newly forming coalitions to consider.

In a review of the literature on the advocacy process, Bliss (2015) identifies five components of a framework for thinking about engaging in policy advocacy which we might use to reduce the digital divide. These include (1) identifying the cause and beneficiary of the advocacy campaign, (2) specifying an intended outcome, (3) identifying target audiences, (4) specifying strategies and tactics, and (5) constructing a plan for evaluating advocacy processes and outcomes. We have added a component that we believe should occur at the beginning of Bliss’s model: developing an appropriate structure for coordinating advocacy efforts. We will consider each stage in turn.

Forming an Advocacy Structure

First, social workers will need to determine the most fitting structure for an advocacy campaign focused on digital inclusion. A variety of possibilities exist and are dependent on the impetus for the campaign, state and local agencies and organizations that may have an interest, and the level of change that the advocates are attempting to leverage. For example, social workers might launch such a campaign under the structure of an NASW State Chapter policy committee, as part of a multiagency campaign to increase client access to tele-health services or as part of a local chapter of a national digital inclusion organization. Because digital inclusion requires a fairly expansive involvement by either local or state government, a coalition model seems appropriate for marshalling the influence that multiple stakeholders could exert upon elected officials who might move model legislation forward. With the social distancing needs of those providing social services, health care, and mental health services to low income and rural populations during the era of Covid-19, it might be an opportune time for state actors to create coalitions of digital access activists among the providers accepting Medicaid and/or working with state contracted services. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance might be a useful organization with whom social workers might form coalitions, as they currently work with 44 state organizations that include libraries, universities, school districts, and others with a vested interest in seeing an expansion of digital access (National Digital Inclusion Alliance 2020).

Clarifying Cause and Beneficiaries

Second, Bliss states that social workers should clarify the nature of their cause and the intended beneficiaries of their advocacy. In this case, the cause is clear—to increase access to and adoption of affordable, high-speed broadband at the state or local level. However, the exact nature of the beneficiaries will vary somewhat based upon state context—in general though, as we have shown in our earlier literature review, the populations dealing with lower levels of Internet access and adoption include rural populations, residents of tribal reservations, the elderly, people of color, and low-income citizens.

Articulating a Desired Outcome

Third, what is the intended outcome? Bliss notes that advocacy efforts are intended to bring about some change in the status of the beneficiary. Again, the exact nature of policy change that can occur in the area of reducing the digital divide will depend upon the political context of the state or locality in question. Generally speaking, one would posit that more liberal states (e.g., California) are more likely to have more expansive digital inclusion policies and are more likely to use government sponsored Internet providers rather than rely solely upon private, for-profit providers for access. However, this is not always the case, as we see in the Chattanooga model, where local government provides a public option for Internet services.

Fortunately, social workers do not have to develop possible outcomes of interest on their own. A variety of models of public policy and governmental action for digital inclusion, as we have seen, currently exist. A recent study by the Pew Charitable Trusts (2020) examined state broadband programs nationwide. Findings reveal a variety of state initiatives reflecting diverse state political and economic contexts. After conversations with 300 broadband stakeholders including Internet service providers (ISPs), representatives of state broadband programs, local governments, and broadband coalitions, the study highlights five practices that a number of states have taken that are proving effective. Practices reflect activities that stakeholders identified as central to the progress they have made. These promising practices are mutually reinforcing, frequently done simultaneously, and include (a) a clear plan for stakeholder outreach and engagement; (b) a policy framework with well-defined goals including the creation of tasking agencies or establishing separate offices to lead statewide broadband programs, plans for identifying barriers in unserved and underserved areas, and initiatives that connect broadband to other policy priorities such as economic development, transportation, education, and health care to build partnerships and leverage more funding; (c) planning and capacity building goals that help educate community members, identify needs and goals, and start conversations with ISPs, evaluate options, and move toward implementing infrastructure projects; (d) funding and operations that provide support for broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas through grant programs and which include accountability measures to ensure that grantees demonstrate they are providing the service they were funded to deliver; and (e) program evaluations which effectively explore the performance of their efforts and update goals and activities as their programs mature.

When engaging in efforts to increase Internet connectivity, advocates have focused on three key aspects: universality, affordability, and reliability. Regardless of neighborhood location, economic level, legal status, or racial/ethnic identity every resident should be able to connect. Pricing must be affordable and include discounted and free accounts to low-income community members. Finally, Internet speed must be consistent and fast. These should be central goals for any advocacy effort in the area of digital inclusion.

It is also vital that the outcome of digital inclusion efforts does not end with connectivity. Strategies for affordable hardware, technical literacy training, and technical support should also be part of the plan for digital inclusion. Hardware devices are constantly being improved, and as noted earlier, some populations disproportionately rely solely on smartphones. Initiatives are needed to make sure that appropriate hardware for each broadband system is affordable and accessible. Examples include creating affordable computer purchasing plans through local governments or local non-profits, developing partnerships to distribute free and donated hardware to underserved community members, soliciting corporate donations, and including access to hardware with assistive technologies to ensure access by differently abled users.

Affordable and culturally appropriate digital literacy programs are also necessary to guarantee community members know how to access and effectively use the Internet. Examples of best practices to include as outcomes within state agency efforts include collaborating with the local school system to stay current with curricula, including content on digital privacy and security in trainings to reduce predatory outcomes including identity fraud, making a list of resources and a map of training and support programs in local communities, and identifying and making available clear pathways to access online information in many languages spoken in diverse communities.

Identifying a Target Audience

Fourth, Bliss notes that social workers must be clear about the target audience for their advocacy messaging. Advocacy efforts are directed toward specific parties who are considered as capable of bringing about changes and outcomes. In this case, candidates and elected officials in the state legislatures or in statewide offices such as governors, lieutenant governors, and state treasurers are likely to have influence in the creation and implementation of digital access programs. Appointed officials directing state agencies are also going to be key constituencies for the successful development and implementation of digital inclusion policies. The Pew Foundation has noted the importance of strong leadership from governors, legislators, and agency heads in successful development of digital inclusivity initiatives. If a governor’s office lacks focus on broadband as a priority, other state agencies will lack energy around broadband goals, so advocacy efforts should be targeted to them early on. Similarly, successful broadband programs establish strong relationships with multiple stakeholder groups. In order to play a central role in facilitating coordination and advancing broadband projects, community stakeholders must be viewed as trusted partners, and they should be brought on board early in the advocacy process.

Selecting Strategies and Tactics

Fifth, Bliss suggests that advocates must identify strategies and tactics that will be used to influence the target audience and generate the desired outcomes. Media Alliance is a California-based media change and resource organization founded in 1976 that engages in activism including digital inclusion. They offer ideas for engaging with policymakers and the public. Examples include attending public meetings, testifying at public hearings and distributing your comments to the press, inviting your elected officials to visit and witness successful digital inclusion projects in your community, organizing local coalition members to apply for larger city or regional task force seats, and organizing town hall meetings with local organizations and testimonials from people impacted by digital exclusion.

People living in digital deserts are unlikely to obtain announcements for local events related to digital equity issues. Thus, it is important to consider distributing copies of digital inclusion meetings and initiatives through local social service agencies and other community meetings. Media Alliance provides a toolkit of resources designed to help those who want to advance digital inclusion. There are several key aspects to reducing the digital divide and all can be entry points for social workers to help advance this cause. Among them are Internet connectivity, affordable and accessible hardware, and training and technical support (i.e., digital literacy) (For a full discussion of toolkit ideas and strategies see: https://media-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Media-Alliance-Digital-Inclusion-Advocacy-Toolkit.pdf).

Advocacy Process and Outcome Evaluation

Finally, Bliss argues that advocates must identify how they will evaluate advocacy processes and actions. Without an evaluation component, the advocating entity will lack formative and summative feedback to assess their advocacy efforts and share with others. Thus, process goals must be developed and outcomes specified so that social work advocates can document their successes and failures throughout the process and at the outcome level so that the evidence base in macro social work practice can be built and best practices can be disseminated to other state advocates working on digital inclusivity policies. Advocates might consider consulting with or collaborating on evaluation with local universities. For example, the University of Kansas’ Center for Community Health and Development offers useful advice and a toolbox for community practitioners who wish to develop evaluations for their initiatives (University of Kansas 2020).

Conclusion

Social work has a long and strong history of engaging in advocacy efforts alongside marginalized segments of society. Digital inclusion is a human right largely overlooked in macro social work practice and policy advocacy. Tackling the digital divide will require an approach that not only expands access but also provides digital skills and encourages people to use the Internet in ways that positively contribute to their social, economic, and political lives. In the simplest sense, social work tasks involve working collaboratively to advance people’s access to resources. In the digital age, access, adoption, and digital literacy are imperative resources. This calls upon social workers to help identify and advocate for communities who continue to experience the digital divide.

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