Podcast: The danger of making assumptions about digital equality

The danger of making assumptions about digital equality based on binary digital inclusion data.

Professor Chris Forde (Leeds University Business School) speaks to Dr Becky Faith and Kevin Hernandez (Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex) about their research on digital inequalities. They discuss the problematic assumption that most people now have access, and the right skills, to use the internet and why we need better data to understand the nature of digital exclusion.

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This is part of a special series of podcasts in conjunction with the Digit Data Observatory, part of the Digital Futures at Work Research Centre.  

Read the Data Commentary. 

Visit the Digit Data Observatory. 

The Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (Digit) is jointly led by the Universities of Sussex and Leeds Business Schools with partners from Aberdeen, Cambridge, Manchester and Monash Universities. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in June 2022. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available.   

About the speakers:

Chris Forde is Professor of Employment Studies and Co-Director of the Centre of Employment Relations Innovation and Change at the University of Leeds, and co-ordinator of the Q Step Programme at the University of Leeds, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the ESRC. He is also Deputy Director of Digit and co-lead of the Digit Data Observatory. His principal research interest is in temporary agency working, but he also conducts research into migration. 

Becky Faith is a Research Fellow and Co-Leader of Digit Research Theme 4 ‘Reconnecting the disconnected: new channels of voice and representation’. Her professional experience and research interests encompass gender and technology, mobile communication studies, human computer interaction and technology for social change. 

Kevin Hernandez is a Research Officer at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and a Researcher working on Digit Research Theme 4 ‘Reconnecting the disconnected: new channels of voice and representation’. His research interests include digital inequalities, sustainable development, and political economy of automation.