Making Government Services Accessible: Digital Access for All
For decades, the public sector has worked diligently to create accessibility initiatives so their support can be available and optimized by everyone in the community. As technology has changed, so have the needs of individuals. Most public services have an online presence — webpages, online bill payments, various forms and guidelines — and give the community access to the knowledge and programs they deserve. But that online connection is key, and there is a percentage of the public who do not have reliable internet and other computer services available to them. Addressing this digital divide is a leading issue in cities across the nation.
Awareness and acknowledgment of this inequity is the first step in a very important list. Equity is a term we all know well and has thankfully enter our daily lexicon. It is and should be at the forefront of public service. We can use a similar mindset when approaching digital equity.
In definition, according to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, digital equity is a “condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.”
Each community has its own obstacles to overcome and there’s now a wealth of support for addressing the digital gap available through federal and state programs. But before public servants can optimize these resources, an in-depth look at what an individual community needs and how those needs can realistically be met is vital.
Defining and describing the issues
Fast and dependable internet access is taken for granted by most of us. When we keep in mind another aspect of equity — empathy — we open the doorway to understanding the situations of those publicly served. The National League of Cities states nearly half of the people who are digitally disconnected are Black, Indigenous, and people of color; older residents are more likely to be digitally excluded, as 42 percent of American seniors lack broadband at home; and estimates vary between 14.5 million and 42 million residents live in areas without broadband internet that meets current standards.
Those numbers might seem surprisingly high. But that surprise is the glare of reality. Examining and understanding those numbers is the beginning of a conversation that needs to occur between public servants and the community. Open forums and meetings including a large amount of community voices and input will bring to light immediate issues. Sure, taking a stroll through the local library, senior center, and public schools will present a fair number of issues that need to be addressed on the surface, but this is still a top-down approach to looking at the problem.
Perhaps simple access to dependable broadband is not the issue your community faces, and the root concern is the public needing education on how to make use of the internet and all the services that go along with it, technology literacy. At the other end of the spectrum, your community might not have enough computers, or the internet provided publicly is insufficient and undependable. Administrators and public leaders will not know these problems exist until they start asking their community what is needed and how those needs can be met.
The next step in this process of discovery is transparency. Looking to the public for their assistance should be repaid through acknowledgment and sharing of the findings and problems that are being faced. That National League of Cities states “To build momentum toward solutions and implementation, city officials should widely communicate the results of the broadband needs assessment. Consider the needs assessment as a living document. As the community’s broadband needs shift, this foundational information should be updated so that current efforts reflect the change.” This should already be a common practice for those in community leadership positions, but the open awareness of the digital gap needs to enter into the priorities for the success of our communities.
Broadening the access
Enacting the change to support our communities begins with administrators and staff in the public sector. It is a true investment in who is being served, and like all investments, there are different options with a variety of payoffs. The investment could come in the form of more affordable or free internet services and devices, technology literacy programs, or a whole new broadband network infrastructure. It all depends on what is discovered through conversations with those who will benefit from these programs.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office states, “The digital divide has issues of both affordability and availability. The government has developed multiple programs to try to make it more affordable, and Congress has increased the funding for broadband deployment to provide better access. The federal government has recognized broadband access is a critical issue — the Federal Communications Commission has a goal of universal service for all Americans — and Congress recently approved over $42 billion to accelerate efforts to expand access.” Once the needs of your community have been defined, the funds aren’t too far away. A great way to begin research into public need is exploring the American Community Survey, a leading reference for housing and population information.
Benefiting from connection
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly declared access to the internet a basic human right. A study featured by the National Library of Medicine states, “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 to provide digital inclusion.”
Like most aspects of public service, the key component of bridging the digital divide is connection. Through the attention to this basic human right, a healthier and more inclusive community will have the opportunity to thrive.
In some instances, the internet has been criticized for separating and isolating aspects of the communities of our nation. But we can now see that the digital divide that currently exists is the true isolator. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration states, when we connect with one another, we discover that “… broadband planning and investments reap benefits across the economy in education, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, tourism, and daily quality of life.”