Digital exclusion is more than just lack of access
with Maria Laura Ruiu
In this episode, we explore how tech advancements and the Covid-19 pandemic have made digital skills crucial, yet a digital divide persists. Maria Laura Ruiu (Northumbria University, UK) surveyed over 2,000 English Internet users with school-aged children to understand what influences their digital skills. This episode reveals that income is the key sociodemographic factor affecting these skills, but motivation, access, usage, and social support are also significant.
Episode based on the article
Examining the Interplay of Sociodemographic and Sociotechnical Factors on Users’ Perceived Digital Skills
By Massimo Ragnedda, Maria Laura Ruiu, and Daniel Calderón-Gómez
Podcast Version
About the Speaker
Maria Laura Ruiu (PhD) is a senior lecturer in sociology at Northumbria University (UK). Her research interests include environmental and media sociology with a specific focus on environmental communication, social capital, and digital media. She is an ambassador of the Digital Poverty Alliance (UK).