Ofcom Bridging the Gap

Editor's Notes

• #3: Ofcom established the CCP under the Communications Act 2003 as the independent, policy advisory body on consumer interests in telecommunications, broadcasting and spectrum markets (with the exception of content issues). The Panel has a responsibility to understand consumer issues and concerns related to the communications sector (other than those related to content of advertising and programming) and helps inform Ofcom’s decision-making by raising specific issues of consumer interest. These include issues affecting rural consumers, older people, people with disabilities and those who are on low incomes or otherwise disadvantaged. The Panel is independent of Ofcom and operates at full arm’s length from it, setting its own agenda and making its views known publiclyOfcom has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consumer Panel. The MoU establishes the principles that both Ofcom and the Panel have agreed to adopt in their relations and dealings with each other.Consultation and adviceOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to engage early and often in full, frankand open dialogue on issues of emerging or current consumer and citizenconcernCollaborationOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to adopt a collaborative approach tofurthering consumer and citizen interests, using resources efficientlyOpennessOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to equip each other with sufficientknowledge of respective policies, statements, positions and advice in advance oftheir reaching the public domainInformation provision and confidentialityOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to maintain and make available relevantand up to date information of relevance to consumer and citizen interests, and torespect the confidentiality of all informationResource provision including budgetOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to ensure appropriate resources areavailable to develop and maintain effective working arrangements This includes shared undertaking of research where appropriate The Panel has an appropriate budget to commission its own research.
• #5: Ofcom established the CCP under the Communications Act 2003 as the independent, policy advisory body on consumer interests in telecommunications, broadcasting and spectrum markets (with the exception of content issues). The Panel has a responsibility to understand consumer issues and concerns related to the communications sector (other than those related to content of advertising and programming) and helps inform Ofcom’s decision-making by raising specific issues of consumer interest. These include issues affecting rural consumers, older people, people with disabilities and those who are on low incomes or otherwise disadvantaged. The Panel is independent of Ofcom and operates at full arm’s length from it, setting its own agenda and making its views known publiclyOfcom has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consumer Panel. The MoU establishes the principles that both Ofcom and the Panel have agreed to adopt in their relations and dealings with each other.Consultation and adviceOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to engage early and often in full, frankand open dialogue on issues of emerging or current consumer and citizenconcernCollaborationOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to adopt a collaborative approach tofurthering consumer and citizen interests, using resources efficientlyOpennessOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to equip each other with sufficientknowledge of respective policies, statements, positions and advice in advance oftheir reaching the public domainInformation provision and confidentialityOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to maintain and make available relevantand up to date information of relevance to consumer and citizen interests, and torespect the confidentiality of all informationResource provision including budgetOfcom and the Consumer Panel agree to ensure appropriate resources areavailable to develop and maintain effective working arrangements This includes shared undertaking of research where appropriate The Panel has an appropriate budget to commission its own research.
• #6: Three years after the Digital Britain reports, Go ON UK notes that “the UK is struggling to exploit the broader benefits of the internet as digital skills become increasingly vital tools to access education, information, jobs, consumer savings and social contacts”. There is a serious risk that public policy currently underestimates the challenge of the task of ensuring that the vast majority of people are brought online.This has implications for funding, growth and policyAttaining greater speeds must be complemented by work to convince people who are less digitally engaged of the value of going online, and to enable them to gain the necessary skills to exploit fully the advantages of staying online. Given the fundamental need to get the vast majority of people online, so that the public sector can make savings from the online provision of services, and so that individuals can gain benefit from easy access to public services and commercial propositions, there is a pressing need to strike a better balance between funding for broadband roll-out and funding for ongoing support to enable people to take full advantage of the benefits of the online world.Ofcom (2012) Technology Tracker Quarter- Main Set. Ist October – 10th December 2011 and ONS Annual Population Survey. Oct 2010 -Sep 2011.
• #7: The five objectives set by the Digital Participation Framework were:to get people interested in going online;to provide people with information and incentives to get online;to provide people with the opportunity to develop the necessary skills, and to know how to get help when required;to enable people to identify and manage the potential risks associated with being online; andto empower people to make the best use of the opportunities and benefits available online.
• #8: Consumers who are less digitally engaged to understand how they can get the most out of being online and increase their breadth of usage to enable greater digital participation.Stakeholders and frontline staff in training delivery roles to understand what has worked for them in getting and keeping people online.People who are currently not online living in an area of extreme deprivation in order to explore whether there are any key barriers other than financial deprivation. Glasgow was selected for this research because it has the highest level of households offline in the UK. 
• #9: The Panel commissioned Futuresight to conduct new research to consolidate stakeholders’ experiences and learning in supporting online participation among people who are less digitally engaged, and also to gather information about supporting people to take the next steps online. Building on existing knowledge, the overall aim was to understand more about the digital participation journey from a range of inter-related perspectives. The primary objective of the research was to understand how people who are less digitally engaged can get the most out of being online and how they might increase the breadth of their internet use to achieve greater digital participation.
• #10: The status quo: the ‘gravitational’ hold of the offline world. Many people who are less digitally engaged continue to see the offline world as considerably easier, faster, familiar, more accessible and user-friendly.Fear of technology and its complexity. For many people who are less digitally engaged, technology (particularly PC-based) is a significant obstacle. Many of these people do not relate to, or identify with, the image and language of technology.
• #11: The status quo: the ‘gravitational’ hold of the offline world. Many people who are less digitally engaged continue to see the offline world as considerably easier, faster, familiar, more accessible and user-friendly.Habit roots people in the offline world. Most people who are less digitally engaged don’t even think of the benefits of online use in terms of speed, convenience, etc. What they and others around them „normally do‟ seems tobe so much easier and quicker, safer, and more certain.People are attached to traditional methods services and channels in the offline world and more concerned about being excluded offline than online. Whether out of habit or loyalty, choice is determined more by availability than anything else. People can see what is available offline, it is more tangible and consumers feel that offline service providers (both private and public) are working to improve offline channel quality.
• #12: The status quo: the ‘gravitational’ hold of the offline world. Many people who are less digitally engaged continue to see the offline world as considerably easier, faster, familiar, more accessible and user-friendly.
• #13: Fear of technology and its complexity. For many people who are less digitally engaged, technology (particularly PC-based) is a significant obstacle. Many of these people do not relate to, or identify with, the image and language of technology. While habitual behaviour roots people in the offline world, the complexity of technology pushes them away from the online world. Existing technology and the language that is usually used to describe it only exacerbates the divide between the offline and the online world.Among people who are less digitally engaged, current technology (particularly PC-based) is seen to be difficult to use, ‘clunky’ to set up and too complex, because it has too many features. Those participants who did have access tended to have older, outdated desktop PCs or laptops, that were more difficult to use, and many complained that they were slow and unreliable. This might compound the perception of complexity: when things didn’t happen immediately or didn’t work at all, the tendency was to blame themselves rather than the technology.Access was more often than not a planned activity, with the machine being left off and kept in a bedroom or study area. The tendency was to ‘go to the computer’ when there was a definite need or reason to do so, rather than it being close to hand and a natural ‘first port of call’. Observationally, the distinct sense was that technology was often an appendage; something at the periphery rather than the centre of people’s lives.”Many people who are less digitally engaged do not relate to, or identify with, the images and language of technology. Many older respondents in the sample associate these with a younger generation. For some younger people, it is associated with the well-educated. This can motivate some people to learn, in order to be able to relate better to their children and grandchildren, as well as to improve their own skills. But for many, the divide is too great: the others, who are online, are too different, too unlike them. This makes it difficult for them to believe that they will find the experience as rewarding and beneficial to them as it appears to be to others. This is often used to defend their decision not to participateFear about security is very evident among people who are less digitally engaged. Worries about pressing the ‘wrong’ button or typing in any form of personal information inhibited engagement very significantly Overall, it remains a major challenge to bridge the gap so that the digital world looks and feels as natural, ‘normal’ and intuitive as the offline world. This can only come through practice and familiarity.
• #15: Lack of confidence: Many in the sample did not have the skills to use a computer and didn’t feel that they were capable of learning these skills. For some, this is linked to low interest and low motivation. For others, it is linked to low self-esteem, empowerment and assertiveness. A few lacked confidence because of literacy issues as well as having no experience of using a keyboard.Lack of ongoing support: Many participants said that they would need continuing help. The lack of such help would limit the breadth of their participation, and for some, their willingness to stay online. Notably, some do not stay online, or participate fully, despite having ready access to support from friends and family.Low affordability and priority: A few in the sample had particularly low incomes, and said that the absolute cost of equipment, as well as the ongoing cost of a broadband connection, would be prohibitive. For the majority, low priority rather than low affordability was the issue, i.e. the cost was high in relation to the perceived low benefit of going online and the risk of getting little in return.Social isolation: Some participants live alone and/or have very limited access to friends, family or neighbours who are online themselves. This absence of positive role models and peer pressure limits their opportunities to develop their online skills and increases the likelihood that they will stop using the internet altogether.Poor family dynamics: While some people have easy access to others with online experience, e.g. a son, daughter or partner, these people are not always willing or able to help. Poor family relationships can inhibit or prevent participants from asking for help. And a refusal to help can compound the problem, further lowering confidence and reinforcing the feeling of inadequacy, thereby reducing their engagement still further.Presence of a dominant proxy: Some people in the sample live with others who think it best to go online for them.Lack of time: Some in the sample lack time, either in absolute terms or in relation to other priorities. This reduces the opportunity for them to develop online skills and experience. Low awareness of community-based sources of help: Apart from libraries, awareness of outside sources of help was typically poor. When asked to consider, many supposed that outside help was available. But few were inclined to find out for themselves.Misconception with regard to community-based sources of help: A strong feature among the less digitally engaged is their tendency to think that outside help would be formal classroom-based training, and therefore not suitable for them. They would be afraid of being shown up in front of others because they lack skills and ability.
• #16: Why do some people go online – what motivates or help them?Tenacity / determination: There is no question that attitude and personality play a part. A minority in the sample were driven by a more determined, confident personality, with a strong predisposition to reach out and take advantage of the support and resources that were available. In return, those giving support tended to respond well, rewarded by seeing the user benefiting from their help.Ready access to informal, ongoing, one-to-one support: This driver often represented the tipping point between lapsing and developing online participation. Help at the start of the journey was critical; getting started with using the computer and setting up a broadband connection. Ongoing help was equally important to sustain effort and interest to overcome some of the more significant barriers to use. People valued one to-one support, particularly from a friend or relative, and this was often very effective in pushing them forward to a point where they could start to develop their online engagement by themselves.Benefits of being online: Interest and motivation to go online is stimulated by a range of financial, social and communication benefits. Awareness of this tends to come initially from friends or family, and/or a more general impression gained from the media.Relevance to interests: A key driver is a hobby or interest in the offline world that can, in some way, be replicated and enhanced online. Many had sustained their online participation through developing an interest online, particularly if it enhanced their offline interest.Fear of being left behind: A key driver for many is the fear of being excluded: financially, socially or emotionally. For some, it was important to have a sense of belonging; being able to relate to the online views and experiences of others. Others felt that being online brought them closer to family members, particularly those from a different generation. Others felt driven to participate to avoid ridicule and stigma, worrying that not being online was associated with out-datedness and even incompetence.Peer pressure: Being encouraged by others to go online was, for some, a relatively strong source of motivation. Others however perceived this as pressure to go online, with friends and particularly family members ‘nagging’ them to do it.
• #17: Lapsed Users According to the Oxford Internet Institute, around 4% of adults are ‘lapsed or ex-users’Proxy usersThese people are not able or willing to access the internet themselves. Instead, they are reliant on someone else to go online for them – a proxy. Some may actively choose not to go online and claim to prefer to be dependent. Others express some interest in going online and are reluctant to have to do so via a proxy. An estimated 23% of non-users had proxy use of the internet in the past year; that is, they asked someone else to send an email, get information from the internet, or make a purchase from the internet on their behalf.Narrow users Narrow users are defined by the Media Literacy Audit as those who carry out 1-6 out of 18 types of online activity, and comprise two in ten (21%) of all internet users.Developing users These people have overcome many of the barriers to participation. Many now feel enabled and empowered to continue to develop their capability and to participate fully
• #19: Lapsed users: These people have used the internet but have stopped. For lapsed users, the challenges are very significant, with the barriers to participation significantly outweighing any drivers.They are likely to have had a poor/weak introduction to the internet and many are now very unlikely to goback online. The loss of a source of ongoing help/support is a major factor for these people andreaching out to lapsed users is difficult - many will not respond to community-basedsources of help and support.Opportunities to reach these people may lie in better signposting to formal, community-based sources of help, and addressing any misconceptions they may have about these sources. More fundamentally, there need to be more opportunities for incidental exposure to outside help, i.e. informal methods that encourage people to learn
• #20:  Some proxy users claim that they have no interest in going online themselves and prefer to be dependent on someone else to go online for them. They are therefore heavily non-predisposed to participating. Others are more receptive but ultimately held back by barriers and weak drivers.Three main kinds of Proxy emerge: a spouse or partner who has power/control, due to a significantly more developed set of online skills;a readily accessible family member who has neither the time nor the motivation to help the proxy user to do it themselves; and“someone accessible (living elsewhere) who feels that doing it for them is the best way to help.Whatever the type of proxy influence, proxy users typically have difficulty developing their self-confidence and empowerment.The power of the proxy limits the opportunity for the proxy user to learn, as they don’t feel that they have ownership. The tendency is not to personally identify with using the internetDue to this, some are potentially vulnerable, i.e. they are likely to become excluded if the proxy stops going online for them (as a result of death, divorce, moving away, etc.).What drives proxy users to participate?Most proxy users in the sample claimed that they were capable of going online themselves. But while someone else is readily available, to go online for them, they tend to find it easier to ‘let go’.In addition, the people we spoke to tended to have limited belief about the benefits of the internet. So their requests tended to be confined to the most obvious and tangible benefits that they couldn’t achieve offline, such as shopping around for car insurance or for cheaper flights. Beyond this, and for the most part, they felt that the offline world provided a better and easier experience.Some proxy users feel the ‘pull’ of the online world more keenly than others. Peer pressure strengthens the feeling that they are being left out or left behind. Some want to relate better to what others are doing online, rather than being thought of as an outsider and/or a burden on someone else. Success in achieving independence depends on the kind of proxy that they have access to and the quality of support they get from them.Ultimately, despite peer pressure, and a feeling of obligation to participate, the offline world remains more accessible, ‘safer’ and more familiar. It is, in many cases, easier to identify with and there is no strong enough reason to do online what they already feel Consideration of the barriers to access suggests theThe research suggests that there may be an opportunity to target the people who go online as proxies, rather than the non-users themselves. The research suggests these people may be receptive to clear signposting to outside help as such help would remove their responsibility to go online for non-users.  In addition, some proxies also responded well to guidance on how to train and support a non-user. None in the sample was aware of the National Digital Champion scheme.Consideration of these barriers to access among proxy users suggests the need for better and more immediate access to outside support, to bolster their confidence and ability to do more themselves. The evidence suggests that outside resources may be more effective in targeting the people who go online on their behalf (the proxies) instead:To provide guidance on how to train and support a proxy user:Most proxies in the sample claim to lack the time, the patience, and sometimes the skills to teach. Typically, they simply offer to help to set the proxy user up with a computer and provide an initial introduction in the hope that this will inspire them to learn for themselves. Providing guidance on ‘short cuts’ and quick ways to motivate a user to learn may be productive, as well as discouraging the belief that it is better to go online for them.To provide clear and effective signposting to suitable outside help:Many proxies claim to be willing to encourage the proxy user to go elsewhere for help. But as with many people who are less digitally engaged, the difficulty is in knowing where to go for the kind of outside help that is needed. Proxies also have misconceptions about the formality of community-based learning and attempts by proxies to point proxy users to outside help can be a bit ‘hit and miss’ . . .Main barriers:Attractions of offlineFear of technology & complexityPresence of dominant proxyLack of ongoing supportLack of priorityLow awareness of outside helpMisconceptions about outside helpPotential drivers:Benefits of being online (financial, social, etc.)Peer pressure / encouragement of othersRelevance to interestsFear of being left out / left behind Key issues / opportunities:Consideration of the barriers to access suggests the need for better and more immediate access to outside supportOutside resources may be more effective in targeting proxies rather than proxy usersProxies respond well to clear and effective signposting to outside help, as a means to ‘offload’ the responsibility of going online for proxy usersSome proxies also respond well to guidance on how to train and support a proxy user. None in the sample was aware of the National Digital Champion scheme.
• #21: These people have succeeded in overcoming some of the initial barriers to getting online as a result of support in the early stages of their journey. But their participation remains very limited, either by choice, or because of their lack of skill.Technological complexity is a particularly strong barrier with many complaining that complexity makes online use time-consuming.Many narrow users need help to use the internet more efficiently, so that they can see the technology as an enabler. There is also a need to address the misconceptions surrounding outside help.
• #22: These people have overcome many of the barriers to participation. Many now feel enabled and empowered to continue to develop their capability and to participate fully. Often, they represent strong role models and can influence others around them to go online.What works well is a combination of sustained, ongoing support, a predisposition to want to learn, and a conviction of the importance of being online.Many respond well to the offer of outside help but, like other people, have misconceptions about the suitability of such help.Developing users can act as strong, positive role models, able to influence others and those who have helped developing users can also become digital champions for others.
• #23: Fourteen face-to-face interviews were conducted among people with no access at home to the internet. These people were drawn from a range of age groups (18 to 74 years) and socio-economic groupings (C2, D & E), living in areas of extreme deprivation in Glasgow city. Six locations were sampled:Why are some people more likely to go online than others? In Glasgow we found that there was a strong polarisation between those who would consider going online and those who would not. The findings suggest that the barriers and drivers are not radically different in Glasgow than in other areas of extreme deprivation covered in the research. But the digital divide is more extreme between those who are non-predisposed and those who are predisposed to going online. The disinclined here appear to be outright rejecters. It would be difficult to convince them to go online without a significant increase in the support available. So stronger measures are required here than elsewhere, to encourage people to go online and to provide support that sustains their participation.Broadly speaking the barriers that appear to be acting most strongly in this digital divide are:Attractions of offline (familiarity, habit, ease, speed and convenience of access to services through traditional channels)The research among stakeholders found a clear sense of a vicious circle. Because so many people are not online, public service bodies and private companies are more inclined to provide their services via traditional channels. While the public sector has a responsibility to ensure that everyone can access public services, private entities see a commercial benefit to offering access through traditional channels (and also a potential commercial loss if they don’t) – not just to people who are less digitally engaged. So, for many consumers, ease and convenience of access through traditional channels largely negates the need to go online.Lack of support (lack of access to informal help, lack of positive role models and peer pressure)The lack of influence from others around them, particularly friends, family and work colleagues, can also be seen to reinforce beliefs about the unimportance of online access. Among those we spoke to, many found it easy to avoid the potential stigma of being offline, as they mainly associated with people who were themselves offline. In Glasgow, and of course, in other areas where online use is particularly low, it is easier for offline habits and preferences to prevail. This, in turn, reduces any inclination or sense of ‘permission’ to seek help (either informal or formal).Low affordability (and priority, in relation to the perceived benefit of going online).Affordability also appears to be a stronger barrier in Glasgow than elsewhere. The absolute cost of a computer (as well as the ongoing connection charges) is a significant barrier for some of the longer-term unemployed in the sample and those on very low incomes. For most though, cost is typically more about priority, with other discretionary purchases being viewed as more desirable and important. For example, many had more than one TV in their household, including flat screens. Preference therefore plays a key role in how (often very limited) budgets are spent. By the same token, the purchase of a computer was widely seen as a risk, with few feeling confident that they would get sufficient benefit from it in return.Very few had considered using any formal sources of supportAwareness that libraries had computers but a perception that for established users rather than beginnersOthers claimed that they did not feel comfortable about the idea of learning in a library environmentA wait of at least 4-6 months due to demand
• #24: The research explored delivery in the broadest sense: from the views of senior stakeholders at a policy, campaigning and communication level, through to front-line coordinators and practitioners with direct experience of helping people to get online and develop their participation. Participants were asked about what they thought works well now and what is needed to work better in the future - particularly as the task of reaching those offline as well as people who are less digitally engaged becomes progressively more difficult.The following were suggested as areas of strategic focus for the future.Strengthen coordination between key players and partners;Do more to encourage partners and front-line organisations to work under a single, recognisable badge.Raise people’s awareness of resources, to reduce confusion and improve signposting to key front-line resources. Address people’s misconceptions about community-based centres and libraries.Widen the scope of the policy, to better target resources on developing and sustaining online engagement, catering better for individual differences.More emphasis on understanding what motivates people to use offline channels; and to mirror this in the design of websites.Encourage and support the use of simpler, more user-friendly forms of technology (e.g. 3G-enabled tablets and smart TVs);Introduce a stronger degree of evaluation and accountability, identifying what works, to produce a positive and sustainable outcome.
• #25: In terms of on the ground delivery, stakeholders and front-line practitioners also highlighted a number of areas: The need for a focus on informal, incidental learning -.Making better use of existing offline resources - e.gUsing existing offline resources to make people feel that online is more of a part of their offline world. This involves focusing on the person’s environment(i.e. at home or in the workplace) and drawing on resources that are already in place thereCreating informal partnerships and collaboration - This will have the advantage of pooling resources, but will also extend reach and improve opportunities to bring front-line resources to harder-to-reach minorities. This sort of informal collaboration can work to increase referrals and signpost people to appropriate help and supportJoining up resources more formally More formal joining up of services among local government services and authorities. Closer integration of public departments, private sector initiatives and the third sector was felt to have benefits in increasing impact and priority, creating a shared aim and a sense of ownership.Addressing misconceptions about libraries and community centresThe importance of commercial sponsorship and the role of Corporate Social ResponsibilityThe support that can be offered by Digital Champions 
• #26: Unless fundamental action is taken, the digital divide risks becoming a digital gulf as the distance increases between those who are online, with access to new services, technology and faster and faster broadband speeds, and those who remain firmly anchored in the offline world. 1. For government to be able to maximise growth and fulfil the Digital by Default initiative, there needs to be a clearer and more comprehensive policy on take-up and use of, as well as access to, broadband.2. To enable this, there is a pressing need to strike a better balance between funding for broadband roll-out and funding for ongoing support to enable people to take full advantage of the benefits of the online world.3. To ensure that progress is made, it is vital that initiatives are open and accountable and that clear targets are put in place for take-up and use, based on an agreed definition of what constitutes an ‘active internet user’ for these purposes. Closer co-ordination between initiatives across the UK, and an evaluation framework, would facilitate the accurate assessment and monitoring of progress.4. The Panel considers that the frequently-quoted and widely-adopted measure of ‘those who have ever/never used the internet’ is not helpful for policy development. Progress should be measured by ongoing use, not by initial access alone. A more appropriate measure of people’s ability to function online would be whether they have gone online themselves in the past month, together with an assessment of the breadth of their internet use.5. Messages designed to encourage people to go online must acknowledge that people make an emotional and financial investment in going online. The messages need to explain online benefits in a language that connects with people’s everyday life.6. The Panel encourages suppliers to undertake the development of introductory low priced/low-risk products, teamed with low-cost broadband access, initially without long-term commitment, to reduce risk and promote trialling.7. The tactics used to reach people who are not yet online need to be re-thought; and it is important that there is co-ordination between stakeholders, and agreed strategic aims. The potential role of local authorities, housing associations, employers and other related agencies and workers in the community (e.g. care workers) should be fully exploited, to embed awareness and an understanding of the possibilities online.8. The Panel highlights the fact that the use of simpler technology, personalised support and emphasising the transferability of skills can bring real benefits for users and enable people to understand the usefulness of the internet.9. The Panel strongly supports the drive to make websites simpler, designed around user needs and experience rather than those of the provider.10. The Panel encourages coordinated overall support for agencies by Go ON UK, and a collaborative exchange of information. This would ensure a consistent message, and bring cost efficiencies for front-line agencies, to enable them to undertake more outreach activity.