As many people are stranded at home due to the lockdown and
the whole COVID-19 situation, there is also a rising concern of enabling
critical services and enabling career mobility to the offline population.
Believe it or not, many regions around the world have little
to no access to the online world. This is creating a digital divide between the
online and offline population. With the concerns of COVID-19 at an all-time
high, public and private sectors must take responsibility and act now to
eliminate social exclusion.
69% of people who didn’t have access to the internet live in poverty, whereas 48% of those offline populations are demanding the need for the internet. The internet has become a necessity today. It should not be treated as a luxury anymore, and the increasing demand is clear evidence. The digital divide intersects age, income, and experience. The majority of the offline population doesn’t have access to the internet due to its high prices.
COVID-19 has changed the world – its way of living and socializing.
The internet has played a big role in keeping the people sane and keep the
business going during the lockdown. At least a basic level of digital inclusion
has become a necessity throughout the world. Being offline leads to loneliness
and depression. A feeling of isolation is the last thing the people want,
judging by the state of the world. People would feel a lot more comfortable and
connected with friends with digital inclusion.
Socializing is one thing, but career possibilities are also
limited to the offline population. 44% of the offline population think that
they would have better jobs and education if they had access to proper
internet. Whereas 29% of the offline population said that they would have
access to the outside world and can browse unlimited career options out in the
world.
Infographic by: capgemini.com
