A Talk by Professor Simeon Yates
Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (APVC) for the Research Environment and Postgraduate Research,
University of Liverpool
About this talk
We live in an age that is highly saturated with digital technologies. These offer a range of considerable opportunities in terms of socialisation, work, entertainment, and participation in society. However, they also present risks ranging from digital exclusion, issues of privacy and financial safety through to misinformation and online abuse. There has also been an ever-growing reliance on digital technologies within our societies, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. People’s main channels of communication have now, either partly or entirely, transferred to digital services, platforms and apps. As a result, everyday life is increasingly mediated by the internet and digital devices. This might include working remotely, interacting with family and friends, using services relating to health, undertaking leisure activities, following news, or engaging in community or political activities.
These changes make it essential to ensure that different populations and groups are provided with equal opportunities to use, and benefit from the use of digital technologies. However, issues of digital exclusion and inequalities are far from resolved in our societies and, because of the pandemic, may have become more pronounced. These issues require research, policy and practical interventions that can address these inequalities. On the one hand they can ensure that the digital environment is deployed, designed and run by ‘big tech’ and government in ways that are safe, accessible, and affordable. On the other hand, they can directly support different groups, and especially the most vulnerable, to thrive in the digital age.
Indeed, the ways in which platforms and digital services are run and managed are often called into question because of issues of under-regulation and because of the affordances of digital technologies – what these do or do not enable users to do. Digital exclusion and inequalities can arise on multiple levels. In terms of infrastructure and skills – from the roll out and pricing of digital infrastructure and services through to a lack of provision of educational and skills training. Or in terms of the design of platforms and digital services. Often designed, using algorithms aimed at providing personalised content and at boosting its visibility. Though, it is now well established that algorithms potentially make it easy for issues of misinformation, polarisation, and online abuse to impact users. Very often issues of infrastructure, skills and online harms combine to further marginalise key groups or place them at greater risk.