Analysing the digital divide for the Barcelona City Council
By Javi Creus, Founder & Director of Ideas for Change and Anna Higueras, Project Manager. (Originally published in Spanish)
As a result of a survey with over 2,500 respondents, the report “The digital divide in the city of Barcelona” analyses the evolution of the level of access and uses of the Internet of the citizens of Barcelona in the last four years. What's more, in view of the emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it offers an unprecedented X-ray of the city’s digitalisation capabilities and potential.
From Ideas for Change, we have contributed to the qualitative analysis and the writing of the report, which is promoted by the BITHabitat Foundation of the Barcelona City Council in collaboration with the Mobile World Capital. We are very proud of this work in which we have collaborated with friends such as Institut Opinòmetre, Numérica and 300,000 km/s.
Do you want to find out the main conclusions of the study? Don’t miss our summary!
1. The gap narrows, but Covid-19 tests digital citizen capabilities
The digital divide is still a challenge that remains (8.1% of the population claims to not have Internet access), but is reducing its gap. In 2020, 92% of the city’s homes have fixed internet connection and 91% of citizens have a smartphone and a data fee contract. The decrease in the price of data rates and low-mid-range mobile devices, the proliferation of optical fibre and the increase in the use of instant messaging have contributed to this change, and there are already more than 96% of people younger than 75 who have managed to assume an active role in the digital field.
This trend, however, collides with the disruption generated by Covid-19. Information and communications technology has gone from being a complement to improve the quality of life, to becoming an essential tool for today’s hyper-connected society. The need to reduce mobility has transferred most of the functions to the digital realm, and actions such as working, attending classes or managing procedures and remote assistance have grown suddenly.
A clear example is the 62% increase in Internet access, which has been particularly significant in three areas: remote work, online education and the digital relationship with the Administration. 58% of Barcelona’s citizens have been able to work from home during the months of lockdown, and 73% of those under 16 years of age have successfully followed their training electronically. In addition, almost 48% of the people surveyed have used medical services in a remote way and 10% have used digital channels of citizen participation in recent months.
In this atypical context, however, many of the people who were only used to access the Internet in a social context have discovered that their digital capabilities were not enough. The day-to-day demands of the Internet have shown how important it is to understand the applications, the connection or the type of device that we use. A learning process in which factors such as age, education level or work situation have been of paramount importance.
In parallel, the situation has turned devices such as laptops (present in more than 76% of homes), tablets (60%) or desktop computers (40%) into basic tools for day-to-day life. This increase in the level of demand has reinstated significant differences due to income that had been diluted: it is not the same to have a single desktop computer for a family when everyone must study or work remotely.
2. Administration put to the test by the digital emergency
Some of the institutions we usually go to in the face-to-face sphere, have been overwhelmed by the digital emergency. This is the case of educational institutions, in which 27% of minors could not continue their studies remotely. In almost half of the cases, the reason was that the school did not provide remote education.
The administrative field has also suffered difficulties. Some social groups, such as people in vulnerable situations or those over 75 years of age, have required additional equipment, connectivity and mediation to carry out certain procedures.
Despite the fact that the institutions have made a great effort to overcome these obstacles, it has not always been possible to guarantee an optimal operation.
3. Despite the context, we are prepared to overcome digital barriers
If one thing is clear, it is that the disruption of Covid-19 has shown the plasticity of the digital society. Barcelona’s citizens and organisations have amply demonstrated their ability to adapt to new scenarios at a fast-moving pace, and this is something that has been possible thanks to the work carried out over the last four years. A similar pandemic in 2016 would probably have had even more severe consequences and we should be proud of the progress made.
However, for any future similar event to have minimal impact, it is essential to examine the digital divide from a more systemic and dynamic perspective. To tie up loose ends, we must provide solutions and instruments that strengthen the quality of Internet use and that allow support to those people who, due to their personal situation, have more needs.
4. And now what?
Undoubtedly, the report promoted by BITHabitat provides valuable information for the promotion of digital citizenship in the city of Barcelona. Not surprisingly, this analysis has revealed the existence of a structural gap, one that affects all people who do not have access or the necessary equipment for the development of their daily lives, but also a situational gap, which is manifested when connectivity becomes the basic infrastructure for work, education or the relationship with the Administration, among others.
At Ideas for Change we believe that, beyond promoting measures that favour digital inclusion, closing the gap definitively goes through the promotion of actions based on digital resilience. Only in this way can we help citizens to be prepared to face critical episodes that, as the pandemic we are living, require us to move most of our life to the virtual sphere.
As we are a restless team, we will keep thinking about it. Stay tuned!
*The report is currently in Catalan, but the Spanish version will also be available soon.
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