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ABSTRACT
Government in the UK has set a target of
ensuring access to the Internet ‘for everyone who wants it by 2005’. More
than £6 billion will be invested in ICT over the coming years and the
Prime Minister declared that ‘digital transformation cannot be restricted
to the few, our success depends on extending it to the many’.
Little research has been undertaken that examines access
and use of ICTs by the wide variety of socially excluded groups that exist
in the UK. The few studies undertaken have not usually adopted an overly
critical perspective in evaluating the benefits of ICT by socially
excluded groups.
The presumption that Internet use by socially excluded
groups is beneficial, without any real attempt to understand the
relationship between users and ICT is widespread. This presumption is
frequently fostered and maintained by the policy push from governments to
encourage the adoption and use of ICT.
This paper reports results from one of the first studies to
investigate the take-up and impact of ICT amongst socially excluded
groups. 130 people took part in 20 focus group discussions. The study:-
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Investigated the factors that influence the adoption and use of the
Internet by socially excluded groups.
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Identified tangible
economic and social benefits arising from having access and making use of
the Internet.
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Recommends policies and future action concerning the targeting of
resources and the design and likely success of current interventions to
promote Internet use.
The study shows that some clear and
quantifiable benefits can arise from Internet access by socially excluded
groups. If the level of use of online information is used as a surrogate
for beneficial impact amongst socially excluded groups it is apparent that
the Internet is not just providing wider opportunities; these
opportunities are actively being seized by socially excluded groups.
Keywords:
Social exclusion, digital divide, Internet use, policy impact, benefits of
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