A replay of this conversation is available here.

With the backdrop of significant federal funding for broadband and stronger-than-ever awareness about the opportunities of connectivity, money is being allocated and goals are being set.  But what does it mean to reduce the digital divide and alleviate the issues associated with digital inequity? How will we know that progress is being made? What measurement infrastructure needs to be in place to successfully measure and map the change in broadband coverage, capacity, quality, and cost over time to evaluate progress? How could a community detect reversions to inequitable situations?

Here are a few highlights from this timely panel.

“We may never achieve digital equity. We can’t really look at it as a goal because technology is ever-changing and what we do with the Internet is ever-changing… But there are some key indicators that would show us we’re at least on the right path.”  Mark Buell, Connect Humanity

Elizabeth: If we could create some idealized society in which we’ve achieved digital equity, what would that look like?

Nicole: In an idealized society that has achieved digital equity, everyone would have access to the Internet. They would have the ability to use it proficiently and they would be knowledgeable about how they use the technology safely and securely in order to participate in our digital world. Additionally, everyone would have the skills and the ability to use technology for their personal, academic, and professional goals. This would create a society where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in this digital age. It’s a society where everyone belongs and participates in the digital world regardless of their age, race, gender, ability, or any other factors. When you look at this idea of digital equity we often look at maps and find places where there is either access or no access. But we also want to understand the people in the spaces. 

It’s important to think about what it would mean when we’ve arrived and what it means around digital equity. Can people afford access? Do they have the devices? Do they have the digital skills to be able to fully participate? Those are ideas we’ve been tackling. But I’d also like for us to move beyond which would be a foundational layer to consider  what our workforce would look like if everybody had access. Would we be able to have more equitable participation? Does this help fill the STEM gap and in other workforce areas as well? 

Elizabeth: How would we know when we were close to achieving digital equity?

Mark: We may never achieve digital equity. We can’t really look at it as a goal because technology is ever-changing and what we do with the Internet is ever-changing. So, it’s an ever-changing target and we need to view it that way. But there are some key indicators that would show us we’re at least on the right path and a lot of those are wrapped up in the definition. If you look at it holistically, are people able to use the internet to achieve their own goals, education, and economic development and all the aspects of equity that we think of offline apply in the online world as well?

So how do we know when we get there? I guess when everyone believes that they are enjoying all of the opportunities the Internet has to offer within their context at the time and are able to achieve their goals. But it’s in my opinion it’s about ensuring that communities have what they need to achieve their own goals and move themselves forward. 

Elizabeth: What should we be measuring for digital equity? 

Roberto: That’s a very good question and thank you for pushing us. For example, speaking of census data we came up with the internet income ratio variable which is an indirect measure of inequality. I’m not saying it’s the only one that should be used but this one looks at the share of homes. It calculates the ratio of homes making less than $35,000 without internet divided by the share of homes making $75,000 or more without internet. The higher that ratio is, you could argue, indicates more inequality. I think that the census is starting to capture that, which is fantastic from a research perspective. But what I have seen in my outreach and engagement is that folks tend to believe more of their own data, so this may have to be primary data efforts coupled with census data. These primary data efforts could capture differences in Internet use if they’re related to productivity and communication. I think that will shed a very good light on where we are going when it comes to inequality.