A regular update on activities within our responsible innovation theme.
What we’ve been doing:
The digital divide has become a city priority for 2021-22: “To tackle digital exclusion through coordinated citywide action across generations, and respond to the enormous challenges and severe impact of the pandemic on children and young people.”
The refreshed One City Plan for 2021 includes a new section on digital inclusion, highlighting an enduring issue that has been brought into sharper focus through the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing digital inclusion is now, more than ever, a significant priority. Bristol will form a One City Digital Board to put digital inclusion at the heart of future planning and priorities, and understand how we can better use digital technology responsibly and ethically within our the city.
In the short-term, there are a range of schemes operating in the city recycling technology (phones and laptops) and providing data and learning support to all ages to tackle the digital divide. The council has recently relaunched its own computer reuse scheme which will see over 3,000 laptops recycled and redistributed to Bristol residents.
What we’ve read:
Continuing the theme of digital inclusion and our recent work on data governance, this article discusses what the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed about technology. It highlights the need for trust, the need to tackle digital inclusion, and the need to enhance digital literacy so that people are better able to understand technology and its societal implications.
What we want to share:
Our Data Bristol are hosting a celebration event on 15 March to showcase open data projects developed in Bristol between 2018-2020 through the Our Data programme. Sign up here.
UWE Bristol is running a LegalTech Hackathon event between 19-31 March. The Hackathon theme is Access to Justice – a key civic challenge that leaves many vulnerable people and organisations at a disadvantage and unable to access the levels of legal support and guidance they are entitled to. Find out more and register.
The Digital Freedom Fund are looking for a new Director. Closing date for applications is 28 March.