Martha Lane Fox, the UK's new digital champion, and her taskforce have an uphill battle if they are to develop a truly inclusive digital society.
The Digital Britain report recognised that a "more concerted approach is now needed" and the government has committed itself to producing a national plan for digital participation. Yet the UK still maintains a narrow view of the digitally disadvantaged, which could lead to the exclusion of over a million illiterate people, as well as countless non-native speakers and technophobes.The national plan for digital participation must go further, to include those whose needs fall outside of the accepted definition of "disability". It remains to be seen how the government will develop policies that simultaneously fulfil the needs of those with less severe, but more common, disabilities and other digitally disadvantaged groups. Lane Fox will therefore need to think carefully about these groups when she goes through her "to-do list".
A to-do list for Martha
• Don't let the parliamentary draftsman create legislation that cannot be easily read. Legislation should be about inclusion, not exclusion.
• Make sure that the government works with manufacturers, retailers and digitally disadvantaged groups to enhance real people's quality of life.
• Make online retailers and internet service providers aware of the long-term benefits of digital inclusion. Then get them to put their money where their mouths are so that they can help digitally disadvantaged groups access computers and information about online services.
• Think about alternative ways to engage with technophobes to help combat their indifference and lack of interest in the digital economy – seminars aren't for everyone. Instead, community mentoring initiatives, which involve going to people's houses to give one-to-one demonstrations, could take place.
Build public awareness
• Get the public on side. Create awareness campaigns that make it easier for older and disabled people to understand what the digital economy is and how they can participate.
It is economically, socially, and morally essential to lift the affordability, usability and accessibility barriers to provide a truly inclusive digital economy for all segments of the population. The government should take serious steps towards ensuring that, for the good of society, the digital economy is fully accessible to everyone.
• Dr Petros Iosifidis is a reader in media and communications at City University London and co-principal investigator for the Inclusive Digital Economy Network.