Digital Outcasts In The Divide

YOUR SAY |

DIGITAL OUTCASTS IN THE DIVIDE

By A Cheok

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed not just the info-communications landscape itself – but also the way we use it. The kingdom of simple text messages is now a thing of the past, replaced with vibrant sound and vision of the person halfway around the world. We embraced this newfound connectivity with hesitant but open arms, grateful for this silver of companionship during our forced isolation when the pandemic broke. Against the bleak backdrop of death and despair, families, loved-ones and long-lost friends were reunited and reconnected, while the Body of Christ went literally went beyond its walls and doors into the community. A cartoon captured the following conversation:

Satan: “With COVID-19, I closed your churches!”

God: “On the contrary, I’ve been opening one in every home”.

But the pandemic has opened up another chapter to this story – one that in my opinion has been lurking in the background here in Singapore, always present but never really showing its true colours. Until now.

We are all too familiar with the digital divide and have read or seen it in some form. But with the pandemic forcing the populace to adopt a ‘digital lifestyle’, the digital divide has moved from obscurity to take center stage – not just in Singapore, but in many parts of the world. While the computer literates reap the benefits of seamless technology and connectivity, the rest remain in the void – shut off and out from the rest of the world. It has added a new dimension of urgency and troubling new findings that put the privileged at an advantage. Yes, I will be the first to acknowledge that equitable access to digital infrastructure is critical during this period of instability, and the increased demand and implementation of digital technologies to connect and respond to the crisis has helped many in numerous ways. However, the rapid application of these technologies during this time of crisis has in fact broadened the digital divide even further. At a time where timely accurate information dissemination is critical, communities, households and individuals with limited or no access to the internet become the disadvantaged – with little access to vital health-related information – let alone the socioeconomic opportunities and benefits that digitalisation has to offer.

At the end of 2019, a survey by the International Telecommunication Union estimated that around 3.6 billion people remain offline. The situation is much worse in least developed countries where an average of two out of every ten people are online.

And despite Singapore’s strong info-communications infrastructure and connectivity, the pandemic has weaved a similar tale where the advances and benefits of technology are available to those who can access it, or afford it. A recent survey showed that a surprising 1 in 10 households in Singapore are not connected to the internet, and more than 5 in 10 households living in 1 and 2-room flats have no internet access or a personal computer. That’s not all. The stark truth is the pandemic has shown a significant struggle when it comes to digital literacy and skills- not just among the needy and disadvantaged, but also the differently-abled and seniors. One Singapore Nominated Member of Parliament recently lamented aptly that this group are “not digital natives or immigrants, but digital outcasts”: cut off, left behind and forgotten while the rest of society continues the happy ride aboard the technology bandwagon. And even if we turn our heads to try to see them, they are no longer in sight because the gap has become too wide, too relentless and too fast.

I couldn’t agree more.

Introducing my 82-year old mother to the digital world and technology allowed me first hand to witness the frustration and even trauma the older generation has to go through – just for the sake of keeping up and being not left behind. From the most basic of function of handling a computer mouse, to composing e-mail and attending her bible study fellowship virtually, it was a huge mountain to climb which took her many weeks to fully understanding how things work and how it all came together. There were numerous times she wanted to give up, saying it was all too much and too late - that her generation was a ‘lost cause’ to learn the tools and skills for the future. My efforts to explain and assure her that all this was the ‘new normal’ did not change her mindset or allay her fears, and in fact made her more anxious about whether she could cope with her journey. It was only after countless hours of step-by-step tutoring; walk throughs and assurances did she eventually peek her head out of the woods to boldly continue to trek through unfamiliar territory.

This episode made me stop and think – and come to a realisation about another issue that been overlooked and lost in the chasm of the digital divide. When we talk about the divide, the first thing that comes to mind is hardware and infrastructure – of equipping communities and individuals with technology for them to have access to connectivity and the information superhighway. The image of corporations donating computers, mobile devices and other peripherals as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to make ‘better lives and living’ for those in need. Don’t get me wrong: I applaud their efforts and was also part of many such initiatives.

But I realised that crossing and closing the digital divide goes beyond making technology and info-communications pervasive in the lives of individuals and communities. I believe it’s more than that. To fully allow technology to build and enable life flourishing communities, we need go back to basics – of having hearts to care and the hands to build. Bridging the divide is a call to action where everyone plays an active part to help those make their first step to cross their Jordan. It’s not a technological connection, but a hands-on human connection to be a catalyst and middle point for the ‘digital outcasts’ in our communities. We often assume that they will somehow catch on by being constantly exposed to it. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Just like a famer cultivating to a piece of fertile land, we need to dirty our hands to work to plough, sow, fertilise and treat the land that we are cultivating. The end point of closing the digital divide doesn’t end with just blessing the have-not with the tools. Who is teaching and guiding them? Are we willing to invest our time and effort to bring these ‘outcasts’ home?

I remember many years ago, my previous company embarked on an ambitious CSR programme to build a state-of-the-art computer section at a children’s home. We were all excited about it as the home specialised in children’s education and for many years was looking to incorporate computer-based learning into their pedagogy. The project was a success and the home official launched this ‘digital corner’ after three months. When I arrived at the home on launch day to make the final rounds and to enjoy the moment of blessing the community, I found a little boy of about nine already seated at one of the terminals – anxiously looking at a blank screen. Puzzled, I went over to jokingly ask him if he liked his new ‘toy’. With a shrug and a straight face, he replied: “Don’t know. I don’t know how to use it.”