Digital Inclusion Landscape Survey Released

NORTH CONWAY, N.H., April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digitunity has released an original landscape survey of over 100 US digital inclusion practitioners, Findings from a Landscape Mapping Survey of Digital Inclusion Practitioners: Needs and Opportunities Within and Post-Pandemic. The report confirms what the COVID-19 pandemic exposed in unprecedented fashion, that digital inequity impacts a wide array of people, across geographies, in every sector, and for a variety of reasons. 

The pandemic has increased our society's dependence on technology and exacerbated long standing barriers that inhibit access to computers, digital skills, and services by marginalized populations. Across the country, digital inclusion coalitions have been established and survey respondents noted these networks need to continue to grow in order to achieve impact collectively.

"As schools and employers moved to remote learning and work during the pandemic, public awareness of digital inequity increased dramatically," says Scot Henley, Digitunity's Executive Director. "The digital inclusion community needs to take full advantage of this moment to make meaningful progress."

Digitunity's interactive Technology Gap Map illustrates device ownership at the national, state, and county levels, and correlates device ownership to education level, age, gender, and race. The Map illustrates that digital inequity is a common, concurrent, and cross-cutting problem especially for segments of the population that also face other social and economic barriers.

"A quick glance at the Map makes obvious the depth of the technology gap across the United States." stated Karisa Tashjian, Digitunity's Director of Programs. "It spotlights the need for devices and helps direct resources."

The landscape survey found that collaboration is essential among local practitioners to identify gaps for devices and related services and to provide holistic support in their communities. Businesses, practitioners, and governmental partnerships can result in positive outcomes and scalable solutions so that everyone who needs a computer has one, today and in the future.

About Digitunity
Digitunity, an initiative of National Cristina Foundation, has connected corporate and individual donors of technology to thousands of partner organizations serving people in need across North America. With a proven body of work and a national network of member organizations, Digitunity is working to ensure all barriers that limit equitable opportunity to participate in our digitally-connected society are removed. Learn more, https://www.digitunity.org.

Contact:
Scot Henley
Executive Director
Digitunity
[email protected] 
O: 203-863-9100, ext. 370  |  C: 603-475-4232

SOURCE Digitunity