Internet Access for the Disadvantaged

[mattyn1]

Conversation yesterday has triggered a bit of googling but I don't seem to be able to find an answer. I do have awkward access at work (right now) so am going to investigate further later but.......

What happened to the government's wish to allow all students to have access to the internet at home? I might be talking utter bks but I do seem to remember David Cameron (or it might have even been Blair) saying all students will have access by some point in the future.

So, are there schemes for those who may not afford a cheap laptop etc to be able to get one from a library for instance? I have tried searching but all I see are pages that are 4/5 years old - like I say I need to do more tonight!

Is it still a government wish for all to "be connected"?

[Wobbegong]

I seem to remember Gordon Brown’s government gave out a load of free laptops to ‘disadvantaged’ families?

Edit to,add

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/great...

[jamoor]

mattyn1 said:

Conversation yesterday has triggered a bit of googling but I don't seem to be able to find an answer. I do have awkward access at work (right now) so am going to investigate further later but.......

What happened to the government's wish to allow all students to have access to the internet at home? I might be talking utter bks but I do seem to remember David Cameron (or it might have even been Blair) saying all students will have access by some point in the future.

So, are there schemes for those who may not afford a cheap laptop etc to be able to get one from a library for instance? I have tried searching but all I see are pages that are 4/5 years old - like I say I need to do more tonight!

Is it still a government wish for all to "be connected"?

This kind of stuff is about ten years out of date.

Everyone has a phone that's connected to the internet 24/7.

[mattyn1]

jamoor said:

This kind of stuff is about ten years out of date.

Everyone has a phone that's connected to the internet 24/7.

I think that is a bit of an assumption. My father in law has a mobile, yes, but he certainly cannot do anything internet wise on it. To be fair he cannot do anything on a laptop!

[glenrobbo]

I'm very old and I wouldn't want one of those laptops.

It's the thought of those stiletto heels digging into my groin area that scares me!

[sc0tt]

What do you class as disadvantanged just to clarify their “human rights”?

[eldar]

sc0tt said:

What do you class as disadvantanged just to clarify their “human rights”?

Those without internet access, I assume?

[Moonhawk]

mattyn1 said:

I think that is a bit of an assumption. My father in law has a mobile, yes, but he certainly cannot do anything internet wise on it. To be fair he cannot do anything on a laptop!

According to the ONS - 99% of 16-34 year olds had used the internet 'recently'

https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/it...

Overall internet uptake in the UK currently stands at 89% - and I suspect the majority of those who don't have access are of the older generations given that only 41% of adults over 75 had access.

Edited by Moonhawk on Tuesday 27th March 17:02

[alorotom]

All public libraries provide free internet access to members (and are free to join). You may need to book a slot and they are normally 1hr long but it’s still access.

This meets the criteria for internet access for all.

My local suburbs library has 9 machines in 3 banks and there mostly occupied between 1/2 and 3/4 all the time so you don’t have to reserve

[bloomen]

jamoor said:

This kind of stuff is about ten years out of date.

Everyone has a phone that's connected to the internet 24/7.

I'm a fogey but couldn't imagine attempting to do any in depth activity on a phone.

alorotom said:

All public libraries provide free internet access to members (and are free to join). You may need to book a slot and they are normally 1hr long but it’s still access.

Give it another decade and many people will be multiple bus rides or miles of walk away from any remaining library.