2.6 Billion Remain Offline as Digital-Only Services Raise Global Inclusion Concerns

The increasing reliance on smartphones for accessing essential products and services is sparking debate over digital inclusion, with an estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide remaining offline. This trend, questioned by individuals like Steve Hilton on social media, highlights a growing divide as QR code menus, digital tickets, and online-only public services become commonplace. Hilton queried in a recent tweet, "Should the government and businesses be FORCING people to have smartphones, by designing products and services that ONLY work with smartphones?...is this progress?"

This digitalization, while offering efficiency, disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including the elderly, low-income individuals, those in rural areas, and people with disabilities. In the UK, 21% of adults access the internet solely via a smartphone, while 6% of households lack any internet access. Finland has also seen digital exclusion deepen as public services move online, with smartphone ownership dropping sharply among older age groups.

The barriers to digital inclusion are multi-faceted, encompassing a lack of affordable internet access and devices, low digital literacy, and cultural resistance to online interactions. Many e-government platforms are not designed with universal usability in mind, further excluding those with limited digital skills or specific needs. This can lead to significant financial burdens, as non-digital alternatives often incur higher fees, and can restrict access to vital services such as healthcare, education, and welfare.

Recent legal developments underscore the severity of this issue. India's Supreme Court, for instance, declared digital access an intrinsic component of the right to life and liberty, addressing cases where digital Know Your Customer (KYC) processes and biometric mismatches excluded citizens from essential services. Reports indicate that 70% of the Indian population lacks adequate digital access, with wireless broadband subscriber growth plateauing, signaling a "calcification of digital divide."

To mitigate these challenges, experts and organizations advocate for comprehensive digital inclusion strategies. These include expanding digital literacy programs, ensuring accessible and mobile-friendly website design, and promoting public-private partnerships to enhance digital service reach and affordability. Crucially, maintaining non-digital alternatives for essential services and embedding accessibility standards into policy frameworks are vital steps to ensure that digitalization serves all citizens, rather than creating new forms of exclusion.