More people need the chance to use the internet

Over 1.3 million Swedish adults do not use the internet at all or use it very little. Efforts are now needed from several quarters to increase participation. It is a prerequisite for a functioning society for the elderly. This is according to representatives of the Digidel campaign, which works voluntarily to increase online participation.

The internet opens up a world of possibilities and makes life more convenient and cost-effective. In Sweden, developments have been rapid; an overwhelming majority of the population uses the internet. Many are very advanced users and 'live their lives' on the internet, others may be content to file taxes, buy tickets and do crosswords online. The fact that so many people are online increases the interest of businesses in using it. Online contacts are rewarded over contacts through traditional channels. Banking has become more expensive for non-internet users and it is increasingly common to pay for information over the phone. Postal invoices cost money, discounts are only available online and waiting half an hour to get through to Telia is not an accident - the customer should choose the internet. The logic is straightforward - the traditional channels are too expensive.

The Swedes and the Internet survey measures Internet use in the population aged 16-99. In 2011, 1.33 million adult Swedes did not use the Internet or did so very rarely. It is important to note, however, that there is a fairly large number of unreported cases, as the survey does not reach those who do not want to answer, those who do not have a telephone and those who do not speak Swedish. The number of non-users is constantly decreasing but at a declining rate.

Non-users are predominantly people who have or have had working jobs and a short period of education. People aged 66 and over are the main non-users of the internet, but 30% of non-users are younger than 65 and therefore still in working life.

If we look at the group aged over 60, there is a wide range of occupations. Many blue-collar occupations are mentioned, as are almost all groups in health care and education. Among academics, the various school occupations dominate. In companies, agriculture and almost all positions in offices appear among non-users.

De icke-användare som finns i arbetslivet (<61 år) faller inom färre yrkesgrupper, i vilka IT-användning hittills har varit sparsam. Lägre befattningar inom vård, skola och service dominerar vid sidan av arbetaryrken. Kontorsgruppen är i huvudsak borta.

The difference between the two age groups possibly points to the importance of working life for individual learning. The older group has lived a working life that was not so permeated by IT. Today, few workplaces lack IT applications and many recruiters report that it is increasingly difficult to get a job if you cannot use IT and the Internet.

Perhaps the most remarkable result of the in-depth study of Swedes and the Internet is the prominence of current teachers among non-users with an academic education.

Half of three-year-olds used IT and the internet in 2011. Almost 100% of young people in schools use IT and the internet, while their teachers are a group that has fallen behind in their use. It would be natural for schools to reflect in their work the surrounding society that is so heavily influenced by IT and the internet. A number of major initiatives, such as ITIS and PIM, have been undertaken to improve teachers' e-skills. The fact that many teachers are non-users may be due to the fact that their professional role does not require the use of IT and the Internet as pedagogical support. School principals must set much higher standards here!

The study also captures unemployed people. There is a clear age difference in the use of the internet for job search. The older unemployed use the internet to a much lesser extent in their job search than younger people do. Only half of 55-65 year olds do so. This probably reflects whether IT and the internet have been integral parts of previous work experiences. It is also interesting to note that the fastest recruitment of non-users to active use is among the 60s (46-55 years), presumably because the changes in working life have 'caught up' with them. Everyone must be able to. In second place are the 50-somethings (56-65 years old). Even they cannot get out of the workplace without having encountered the requirement for e-competence.

Pressure is mounting from all sides. Health and social care are being digitized and the physical possibilities for handling cash are disappearing. But it's not just everyday life that's under pressure - rationalization and the changes in the world of work are making demands. Get in or get out. Once out, without e-skills, it is very difficult to get back in. The authorities responsible for labor market policy should make a major effort to increase e-skills.

Today, adult education is stepping up its digital inclusion activities. This is often done in partnership with libraries. This is excellent, and it is taking place in the context of the Digidel 2013 campaign, which aims to get 500 000 non-users 'online' by the end of 2013. The campaign, launched in 2011, is a voluntary and spontaneously developed network. It works on a non-profit basis.

The campaign calls for action from the government, county councils and municipalities to support increased digital literacy. It is not just a welfare issue - it is a necessary prerequisite for a functioning society where more and more people are getting older.

The problem does not die out with the elderly. Technology is developing fast. Until it becomes easy enough for everyone to use, efforts need to be made to keep up with it - it's a democratic issue and should be handled that way, not just by volunteers.

Christine Cars-Ingels, Head of Digidel 2013

Mikael von Otter, Business Policy Expert, IT&Telecom Industries