People who face barriers or difficulties when online can experience poorer mental and physical health, miss out on work opportunities and become socially excluded, according to a new report commissioned by Ofcom.
Research suggests that 2.8 million people (5% of the UK population) do not have access to the internet at all – although this proportion has more than halved since before the pandemic. Eight per cent of internet users also say they lack confidence online.
To improve our understanding of the challenges that particular groups face when online - and how this impacts their digital engagement and day-to-day lives – Ofcom commissioned Blue Marble to carry out a piece of in-depth, qualitative research.
Researchers interviewed 70 people from across the UK, including many who face unique forms of digital disadvantage based on their identity or circumstances. This included: disabled people; people in insecure housing; minority ethnic groups; individuals with limited English proficiency; and people with lower internet use.
What we found
Participants described the internet as a double-edged sword, acknowledging the benefits to communicating online, while also reporting a range of challenges. This included problems with connectivity, cost concerns, harmful online experiences, accessibility issues and lack of digital confidence. These challenges affected many aspects of their daily lives and were experienced across a range of sectors and services - from communication to banking, public services, employment and education.
The report also reveals the psychological, logistical and societal impacts on people who experience digital disadvantage. This included adverse effects on their mental and physical health, feelings of social isolation, and exclusion from work opportunities and support services.
In summary:
- Disabled people talked about negative impacts on their physical health because of being online, including fatigue, physical discomfort using unsuitable devices, and anxiety. Some disabled people also highlighted accessibility issues with how some online services are designed.
- People experiencing housing challenges described a wide range of challenges using the internet which affected their daily lives. Overcrowding in homes with multiple occupants affected internet quality and speeds, and people living in short-term lets or staying temporarily in someone else’s home faced barriers when choosing and signing up with an internet provider. Having a lack of access to the internet also caused issues with working and studying from home.
- People from minority ethnic groups felt there was a lack of representation in online spaces they visited, and talked about seeing discriminatory and racist language online. This brings to life other evidence that nearly half (48%) of people in minority ethnic groups experienced hateful or abusive content online in the past four weeks.
- People with lower levels of English reported significant barriers to getting online, including the design of platforms for non-English speakers.
- Infrequent internet users had poor experiences of using essential services, especially around important day-to-day tasks including booking doctors’ appointments.
Ofcom has published its response to the research findings, setting out how the report will inform, among other things, our work on media literacy and user empowerment, our work to support digital transitions from legacy technologies, and our expectations of industry.
Visit Ofcom’s news centre to find out more.