Multidimensional Digital Exclusion and Its Relation to Social Exclusion

Digital inclusion is a complex matter as the problem of digital inequalities arises from both digital and social exclusion. Digital exclusion manifests differently according to an individual’s personal and social conditions. These personal and social conditions are usually the preconditions of getting people online, but they are also conditions that shape how people use the online tools once they are online. This is why the digital gap, while may be narrowing, is also deepening among certain groups. There is a need for a new understanding of this persistent issue of digital exclusion that connects preconditions and outcomes of digital engagement in order to account for the complexity of digital exclusion. Only then can we develop tailored policies and programmes that address the unique disadvantages of each group. This chapter examines the research on the interconnections between social and digital inclusion, particularly among vulnerable groups of the population. It identifies emerging groups of digital exclusion and summarises the elements of effective digital inclusion programmes.