Digital Inequalities and Their Impact on Policy in a Technocratic World

In less than two decades, the world has witnessed the growth and development of phenomenal digital tools. However, the problem of unequal distribution still persists and has vast implications for creating and establishing a just world. The question of digital inequality has never been more pertinent today. In the West, particularly in America, which houses the most successful technological giants such as Google, Apple, and Facebook, digital access faces fewer challenges than in developing countries. In today’s world, technocrats direct and mold policy and can largely shape government objectives. The availability, distribution, and utilization of technologies in every aspect of life have invariably privileged Western countries in international policy formulation. The picture in the Global South, however, remains bleak. Despite internet access and the use of social media platforms, several developing countries such as Mozambique, North Africa, and Kazakhstan do not possess the necessary infrastructure to support seamless digital communication, whether it is in government systems, private networks, or educational institutions. 

In 2016, the United Nations declared Digital Equality as a human right, highlighting the importance of digital access in and across various countries. Without high-speed broadband, internet connections, or even the technological devices required to carry this out, digital inequality has become an example of human rights violations. The implications can range from suppression of free speech, gender inequalities, and marginalizing underprivileged groups to kickstarting revolutions, spreading fake news, and assisting war crimes. The most problematic aspect of violating digital equality is the absence of voices and representation from stakeholders in the Global South who can provide valuable contributions to international policy. 

Due to lack of access or unequal distribution, citizens are denied their participatory share in governance and political systems. The situation is visible on the international scale. Policymakers in premier international organizations such as the United Nations, which have traditionally been based on Westphalian models, need to understand the intrinsic relationship between human rights and digital equality, which has repercussions on several other forms of equality, namely gender representation, diversity, and under-represented groups. Another aspect of digital inequality is that in countries like China, government watchdogs track digital movements and people’s technological lives. In autocratic systems, the problem of digital inequality leads to an environment of suppression, fear, and unequal information access. This proves to be extremely problematic in a world where information is power, as citizens are denied their participation due to a lack of information. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example of how digital inequalities affect underprivileged populations. Lack of access to the internet and, consequently, healthcare precautions, statistics, and vaccine information can aggravate the spread of fake news and disinformation. The problem with this is that it often sets into motion a cycle of mismanagement, ill health, unemployment, marginalization, and poverty amongst disadvantaged communities. Another example is the two wars that are currently being waged in Ukraine and  Israel-Palestine. The projection of certain events by media outlets with Western interests projects a narrative that might often be at odds with ground realities and does not consider local people’s participation. Both wars have garnered immense social media coverage, but the real victims of such wars are those who currently lack digital infrastructure and the chance to tell their stories. Who tells the story dictates how the story is told, and inequality or misrepresentation in the same can lead to constructing false narratives.

The lack of access to information and technology can relegate future world citizens to the sidelines. Nepal serves as a prime example of this. Only major cities and towns such as Kathmandu and Pokhara have relatively wide access to the internet and digital communication technologies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this digital inequality was exacerbated more. Children were unable to attend school and were forced to stay at home, which caused many of them to repeat a grade, if not two, to make up for educational institutions being shut for long periods. In most parts of America, children between the ages of five and ten are guaranteed a device with a high-speed internet connection to continue their studies and interact with their educators and peers. A child of the same age in Nepal was forced to halt their education altogether in the face of a pandemic. This, in turn, has negative side effects on children’s cognitive development. Lower middle-class parents in Nepal cannot afford individual devices for their children. It is often one device shared between the family; the same applies to internet connection. The effects of such digital inequalities have long-lasting repercussions. Informed children are empowered children. The lack of access to information and technology can relegate future world citizens to the sidelines. 

The UN’s Global Digital Compact Policy Brief outlines three concrete actions as a roadmap for digital equality by 2030- Connect, Respect, and Protect. This seems an ambitious goal, considering the amount of time left to attain it. However, an important addition and recommendation to this policy would be to include a fourth action- Adapt. Addressing digital inequality in the first world is not the same as addressing digital inequality in developing countries. In the latter, the challenges are multifaceted, greater, and more complex; the risks are higher. It is important to build adaptive policies that consider the unique demands of each community and can partner with local stakeholders to implement equality. Adaptability in different societal situations would be the first action before implementing any other policy action. Adaptability also works in concert with information dissemination and empowerment. Facilitating digital tools and technologies that are understandable to local cultures in user-friendly formats will empower vast populations. Women would benefit largely from this as they occupy peripheral spaces in lower-income countries and are denied the right to digital information. Children, ethnic minorities, and marginalized communities get bolstered when digital policies are adaptive to their understanding. 

Author: Prachi Chitre

Managing Editor: Sebastian Reyes

Web Editor: Wai Ki Law