Human rights at risk if digital exclusion isn’t addressed in Scotland

A new report from the auditor general shows one in six Scottish adults lack the digital skills needed for everyday life, which could be impacting their human rights. 

The report says that public bodies that have taken a “digital by default” or “digital first” approach when implementing new services in Scotland. This approach hasn’t “sufficiently considered the needs of people who are digitally excluded,” according to the report. 

The report says that people unable to access public services because of a lack of digital access are at risk of “not being able to fully realise their human rights.” The human rights at risk may include the right to education, a fair trial, protection from discrimination, social security and to receive and impart information. 

For example, an individual’s Universal Credit could be sanctioned because of delays in updating their online journal due to lack of access to the internet. This would infringe on the individual's right to access social security and receive and impart information. 

Roughly 15 per cent of adults lack the necessary skills to use devices like a computer, tablet or mobile phone and find information on the internet. This group also lacks knowledge in how to communicate socially and professionally on social media and access online banking services.  

“Digital technology is at the heart of public service reform,” said Stephen Boyle, the auditor general for Scotland. “Increasing efficiency is vital to ensure services can be delivered cost-efficiently, at a time of ever-intensifying budget and service pressures.”  

Boyle added: “The Scottish Government must have clear actions to tackle and mitigate the impacts of digital exclusion.”  

By failing to do so it “risks marginalising the most vulnerable people in our communities,” he said. 

The report said: “Online public services do not always consider the needs of people without digital access, which may put their rights at risk.” 

In a 2022 Ofcom survey, 51 per cent of people who don’t have access to the internet at home reported having a disability, 72 percent were elderly and 55 per cent in the most deprived socio-economic group. 

“I feel like there is a lot going on and I just can’t be a part of it,” said a focus group attendee for Audit Scotland when asked about digital exclusion. “It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of it, I just don’t know how to get started and everything will just continue on without me.” 

A Scottish Government survey in 2022 showed that only 69 per cent of households in Scotland earning £10,000 or less have access to the internet. This is in contrast to households that have an annual income of over £40,000, where internet access is at 99 per cent.  

In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, the Scottish Government invested £50m to provide access to devices, data and training for people who lack the digital skills needed for everyday life. This allowed over 61,000 households to get online, targeting people at high risk of Covid-19, young care leavers, families with children, socially isolated older and disabled people and low-income households. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations implemented the programme in tandem with all 32 councils and over 1,000 organisations.  

Since then, the report said “momentum has slowed” in the uptake of skills due to weakened national leadership and less funding. 

“Councils across Scotland, working collaboratively with local public, private and third sector partners, must be clearer about how they will reduce digital exclusion in their local area,” said Nichola Brown, a member of the Accounts Commission. 

The report recommends that the Scottish Government “set out their ambitions for tackling digital exclusion in a refreshed digital strategy” and “develop a clear action plan for reducing digital exclusion.” The report recommends the government collaborate with volunteer organisations and the public and private sectors to set up a “community of learning” focusing on combatting digital exclusion. 

Scottish Labour’s social justice spokesperson Paul O’Kane said: “This report sets out the high cost of failing to tackle digital exclusion – but the SNP government is set to raid digital exclusion funds for the second year in a row.

“It is the most marginalised communities in Scotland that will pay the price for the SNP’s broken promises on this important issue. The SNP must listen to this stark warning and set out a real plan to break down the barriers that risk locking vulnerable people out of vital public services.”

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) took to social media X to say the report shows there is an "incoheren picture" and " room for improvement. 

Reacting to the report, Lib Dem MSP Beatrice Wishart MSP urged for a "fresh push" to deliver superfast broadband across the country. 

She added: “Poor internet connections are a drag on the creation of high-skilled, high-wage jobs. They block the growth of island and rural businesses and put up barriers to people accessing basic services, from banking to healthcare."