Bridging the Digital Divide: A Key Societal Challenge

The issue of the digital divide is more crucial today than ever. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the statistics are striking: 10 to 15% of the Quebec population does not use the internet, while 16% are only basic users. This means that a quarter of the population is vulnerable when it comes to digital tools.

In response to this reality, a day of discussions and reflection organized by various community, governmental, and technological stakeholders aimed to identify opportunities for collaboration and implement concrete actions to reduce this inequality.

Putting Humans at the Center of the Digital Revolution

Lise Langlois, Executive Director of the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology (OBVIA), emphasized the importance of a critical perspective on current technological issues. According to her, artificial intelligence and digital tools alone cannot promote inclusion; it is a matter of collective will and commitment.

Rafik Boualam, from the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, highlighted the link between the digital divide and the socio-ecological transition. He warned that the digital divide exacerbates existing social inequalities.

Minister Éric Caire acknowledged that the digital divide is often the "unspoken issue," despite affecting not only seniors but also disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.

Understanding the Multiple Dimensions of the Digital Divide

Karine Gentelet (OBVIA) identified three main levels of the digital divide:

1. Equipment: Access to a computer, smartphone, or internet.
2. Usage: The ability to use technology, understand online information, and interact with platforms.
3. Data: The representation of populations in databases, impacting predictive models and digital services.

Marie-Andrée Côté (Sentinelles Numériques, Vote Pour Ça) reminded us that the digital divide is primarily a human issue. It is not only a concern for older generations but a challenge that affects all social classes and age groups.

Best Practices for Digital Inclusion

Baptiste Morch (Flambeau) proposed a progressive approach to addressing the digital divide, emphasizing three key principles:

• Demand "for all": Create services accessible to all audiences.
• Educate: Raise awareness and support users facing difficulties.
• Use design as an ally: Adopt an inclusive approach when designing digital tools.

François St-Clair and François Girard (MCN) presented the 2024-2028 government strategy for cybersecurity and digital technology, which aims to mitigate the digital divide through three key areas:

1. Service accessibility: Diversify channels and simplify solutions.
2. Support and assistance: Help individuals and businesses in difficulty.
3. Skill development: Strengthen digital literacy for optimal and secure usage.

Field Experience: Testimonials from Community Stakeholders

The discussion panel featuring Marie-Ève Rousson-Godbout (Atout-Lire), Claude Gillet (Communautique), Cynthia Thibault-Larouche (Ciao), and Marie-Noëlle Béland (Engrenage Saint-Roch) highlighted several concrete initiatives:

• Atout-Lire: Supports individuals struggling with reading and writing, who are often marginalized by the increasing digitization of public services. The organization advocates for non-digital alternatives and better access to resources.
• Communautique: Provides training and support to enhance digital autonomy, focusing on acquiring essential skills for navigating an increasingly digital world.
• Engrenage Saint-Roch: Develops initiatives to "rematerialize" information, such as setting up a physical community bulletin board and new dissemination strategies for those who are not online.

The speakers emphasized the diverse obstacles faced by those experiencing the digital divide. Some cannot afford high-performance digital equipment, while others struggle to understand and use digital tools due to language barriers, lack of training, or distrust of online platforms.

One issue raised was the misconception that digital accessibility concerns only individuals with visual impairments. In reality, it affects a much broader audience, including people in precarious situations, seniors, newcomers, and even overworked employees who may also struggle with complex digital interfaces at the end of a long day.

Finally, participants reminded us that digital exclusion is not an inevitable phenomenon but rather the consequence of failing to consider everyone's needs from the outset of digital service design. They called for a more inclusive and empathetic approach, where designers and decision-makers genuinely take into account the diversity of users and their real constraints.

All agreed that the digital divide should never have existed. Had vulnerable populations been considered earlier, many obstacles could have been avoided.