Digital exclusion, also known as illiteracy in technology, refers to the inability to use digital tools effectively. 15.4% of French people are affected! This is an excluding situation in a world where the dematerialization of processes has become the norm.
“Emmaüs Connect was established in 2013 and for over ten years has empowered nearly 170,000 people in difficulty, thanks to a team of more than 150 employees and 1,500 volunteers spread across the entire national territory,” explains Flora Graioni.
Being affected by digital exclusion means being deprived of many rights, as most administrative procedures are conducted online. Owning a computer or a web subscription is already a privilege. But knowing how to use it is even more so. “Several studies are being conducted to analyze the phenomenon of digital exclusion. Currently, more than 16 million French people are struggling because they do not have a connection, never use the Internet, or do not know how to use it sufficiently,” emphasizes Flora Graioni.
Digital exclusion does not only affect seniors: “It can be low-income individuals, but also young people in job training, students who need to use computer equipment but cannot afford to buy it.”
To assist them, Emmaüs Connect offers support and training hours. The organization provides low-cost equipment, “a computer for 180 euros,” as well as affordable internet subscriptions in partnership with SFR.
This support is crucial because “digital precarity exacerbates social difficulties such as unemployment, isolation, and disabilities. A double burden for already vulnerable populations.”
