We talk about digital divides in the plural, to illustrate the complexity behind digital inclusion. It is no longer about access or infrastructure but about: access to electricity, devices, quality of access, computer skills and traditional literacy; a command of ICTs and the internet; and favourable conditions including affordability, legally valid identification, financial inclusion, and trust and security.

The challenge of digital exclusion in Spain is not focused on access to digital infrastructure and the internet, they are faced with a more complex challenge, which has been made clear by the pandemic and its consequences.

In terms of skills, 43% of Spanish citizens and 37% of Catalans do not have the basic computer skills required today. The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that digital divides are direct factors of social exclusion. A clear example is that 26.8% of Barcelona’s school-age population could not continue their studies online during the period in which schools were closed.

Digitalisation of the public sector is not an easy task. It requires an organisational and structural change that, due to its scale and the diversity of citizens that it serves, cannot easily adapt to advances in the private sector’s applications and the expectations of some citizens who regularly use these applications.

Although the private sector does not have the mandate to serve all the population, the digitisation of its processes, such as in the banking sector, has generated tensions and social backlash, as those lacking the digital skills are excluded from fundamental services generating a negative social impact.

SME’s are the backbone of our economies, and yet they lag in digitisation. In Spain, an overwhelming number of companies have fewer than 10 employees (93.8%) and only 28% have an internet connection and website.

The rush to digitalisation, accelerated by the pandemic, exposed the public and private sector to hostile agents, as during the pandemic there has been a global increase in cyberattacks. In Spain, for example, in 2020 there were almost 7,000 highly dangerous cyber incidents, which is more than double the number detected in 2019 (3,172).

Digital divides are apparent here, SMEs and citizens have become more susceptible to attacks. Security is often seen as the last measure on the list of business needs, and attackers take advantage of the lack of security and weak privacy policies.

According to the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, an infodemic has developed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The infodemic is a breeding ground for disinformation. Disinformation promotes distrust in democratic institutions and contributes to a general disinterest in the news.

According to 2021 Reuter’s Digital News Report, global concerns about false and misleading information have edged slightly higher, this year, ranging from 82% in Brazil to just 37% in Germany. Social media channels such as Facebook and WhatsApp are seen as the main propagators of misinformation.

The overload of information has also increased public disinterest in the news. In Spain, interest dropped from 84% in 2016 to 67% in 2021, and this affects younger people more (53%). The increased disinterest is a great challenge for traditional media, which is based on the “attention economy”.

Digital transformation has spurred new forms of employment – atypical work – which sometimes contributes to and increases job insecurity. If not regulated, these new types of jobs leave those most vulnerable without protection.

Current jobs will also change. In Catalonia, 35% of jobs have a high probability of automation and a further 35% have an average probability. The same trend was found by McKinsey in Europe, which explained that 40% of the European job market would have to gain new skills to be able to adopt the changes caused by digitalisation.

An intersectional approach to reskilling and assessing the impact that automation and platform work will have on the current workforce is necessary.

In the following years, we will see an increase in demand for data centres, cloud services and connectivity. Although ICTs have become increasingly efficient, global emissions have continued to increase. Emerging technologies play a complex role in the climate crisis and there is no guarantee that the future will be greener the more we connect.

To achieve a green digital transformation, actions are required for “measuring and minimising the climate impact of emerging tech from energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and e-waste generation”.