Labour must implement a strategy for digital inclusion enabling more of us to use technology like AI, writes Saqib Bhatti
Much like the Industrial Revolution had an unprecedented social and economic impact on Victorian Britain, the digital revolution is set to have a profound impact on the way we live in the 21st century.
It is vital that we embrace exciting new technologies. But unless there is a clear strategy to help improve digital awareness amongst all groups in society, we risk leaving some people behind in what is known as ‘digital exclusion’.
Getting digital inclusion right is not only an economic opportunity but a societal necessity. Factors including education, age, region and social class have a very real impact on someone’s ability to navigate the internet safely and harness its full potential.
Ofcom’s Technology Tracker for 2024 shows that 94.8 per cent of people aged between 16 and 74 have access to the internet at home but this plummets to 77 per cent for people aged 75 and above. The government should aspire to do more in this space and get the number of elderly people using the internet up to 90 per cent. For while it’s important to encourage more people to get online, we must ensure our public services, like the NHS, are easily accessible offline so those that can’t use the internet are not at a disadvantage.
Further research from Age UK suggests that 4,000 of my constituents in Meriden and Solihull East don’t use the internet at all. Things we take for granted like booking an online appointment with the dentist or paying a bill are impossible without internet access – which shows we have lots to do to level the playing field.
If not addressed, digital exclusion will leave so many people behind, and it’s not just the elderly who could suffer. Take a young person from a small rural community who might not have good access to the internet. They might not be able to apply for a job online or complete their studies because of a lack of internet access.
The Conservatives recognised this and rolled out the Digital Inclusion Strategy in 2014. We understood that the internet has improved people’s lives but also knew we must get everyone up to speed with the rapid advances in technology if everyone was to benefit.
The strategy drove up rates of digital literacy and broadened access to the internet like never before. This went on right through until we left the government where, as minister, I supported those on Universal Credit get better access to the internet by driving up social tariffs 160 per cent from September 2022. I now encourage the government to commit to the trebling of social tariff uptake in this parliament.
But over the past decade, the digital revolution has continued to move with unrelenting pace. Just 10 years ago, AI was the stuff of science fiction. Today, it has the potential to be one of the most transformative technologies of the century. But if it is misunderstood, because people cannot use it or are digitally excluded, it will only foster fear and anxiety.
Just this summer we saw the impact of misinformation online, and how misunderstood and misused, the digital world can fuel political extremes and divide us. While tech companies have a huge role on this journey, the government will also have a part to play. That’s why I have written to the Department for Science, Technology and Innovation to seek clarity on this era-defining challenge.
When in government I increased the frequency of the cross-ministerial group on digital inclusion and made it my personal ambition to engage with key stakeholders. One of my last actions as minister before the general election was called was to task officials into looking at refreshing the digital inclusion strategy. There is no reason why that work cannot continue.
There is no reason Labour can’t replicate Rishi Sunak’s landmark AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park or the multi-billion-pound Project Gigabit which rolled-out better broadband in hard-to-reach communities. But so far, Labour have shown no commitment to this.
That is why it is essential they demonstrate they have a vision to help ensure people aren’t left behind and recognise the potential and risks of this exciting new technology. The government has no time to waste, this technology is fast moving and we will fall behind unless we start now.