The Case for Universal Digital Access

In this week’s news, we look at Channel New Asia’s commentary <<Commentary: The case for universal digital access, as home-based computing becomes a post-pandemic norm>>, and give our thoughts on how to navigate this unexpected form of inequality.

In the Article
As more of us work and learn from home, there is an unexpected inequality surfacing. Professors Irene and Sun Sun believe that reliable technology and internet access are needs. They start by comparing internet accessibility to our common utilities, like water and electricity. Even those these are considered luxuries sixty years ago, they are public utilities today. They believe that since Internet access is a human right, as declared by the United Nations in 2011, it should be a public utility too.

This call comes after the perceived technology inequality is amplified by the pandemic. Local media have reported on highly uneven home-based learning experiences across families. There are less well-off families that have to “grapple with problems of device ownership and internet access”. Minister Indranee Rajah estimates that over 20,000 computing devices and more than 1,000 Internet access devices have been loaned out to these families. This highlights that there is a significant group of people who still do not have access to the internet.

(A child plays a game on his phone (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

In a recent study, it was revealed over 44 percent of families lacked a computer or laptop at home. This is especially concerning since home-based technology looks set to become a new post-pandemic norm. Low-income families will need this basic equipment to participate in more technology-based employment. Digital inclusion is critical to prevent a widening gap between high and low-income families. In tandem, digital literacy efforts must also be extended to the lower-income families, so they can “offer more effective guidance of their children’s digital access”.

What It Means
I first came across this problem when working with my offshore technology team located in India. The lockdown over there is exacerbated by a lack of basic internet infrastructure for many of the citizens. This article is especially sobering when we realize that the problem hits much closer to home. Technology has always been taken for granted in most of our households. This oblivion to conditions of lower-income families is exactly the type of myopia that causes the gaping income inequality in Singapore. This commentary forces us to take a hard look at what is lacking in these families, and think about what qualifies as basic necessities.

This commentary also reminds us to evaluate our decisions for a post-COVID19 world. Many businesses have been talking about pivots to online businesses. After all, the work processes are already in place. However, before making that decision, we need to think about accessibility for the masses. For example, tuition centers should not offer online-only classes, as that will force a steep drop-off for children from lower-income families that might not be able to access stable connection.

For owners of businesses, it is also worth reconsidering the resources provided to go remote. After this difficult period, there is indeed a need to cut certain overheads, and rental of office space does seem surplus currently. However, should you make this decision to take the whole team online, you should consider if everyone has a strong infrastructure to support their work requirements. Things like hi-speed internet do wonder for productivity. Employers can also consider setting aside part of the budget for employees needing assistance to set up a functioning workspace at home. You might want to reconsider cutting the office space completely. Instead, have a smaller space, so that the group of employees who does not have a conducive environment at home can still have a haven.

While the call for universal digital access might be hard to come by in the near future, we should not ignore the real needs of low-income families. Let’s keep them in our minds when making plans for our businesses post-COVID19. If not, this pandemic could leave far-reaching repercussions that no amount of vaccines can help.