A regular update on activities within our responsible innovation theme.
What we’ve been doing:
We have established a Bristol City Council Digital Inclusion Taskforce to bring together operational colleagues across the council to coordinate and amplify our efforts to tackle the digital divide in our city. Our first meeting, held this week, was an action focused workshop to map digital inclusion initiatives and activities being delivered by the council, with a view to creating a digital inclusion action plan.
What we’ve seen:
This short (25 minutes) revealing BBC film explores the link between our internet and data usage and its impact on energy consumption, pollution and climate change. The internet is using a larger proportion of the world’s energy than ever before and, with the rollout of 5G, it’s set to keep on growing.
What we’ve read:
Carnegie Trust has outlined 12 steps to eradicate digital exclusion. It highlights the need for dedicated attention and resources focused on addressing digital inclusion, and looking at inclusion as a foundation across services, rather than an issue in isolation.
We’ve been inspired to see Greater Manchester launch their Digital Inclusion Agenda for Change which aims to fix the digital divide across Greater Manchester, with an action plan focused on cross-sector collaborations and capacity building for community organisations.
What we want to share:
The Laptops For Bristol project led by DigiLocal is working with a number of partners in Bristol to provide re-conditioned laptops for vulnerable families. Coronavirus has thrown the digital divide into stark relief with many vulnerable families and young people excluded from education and social support due to a lack of suitable equipment at home. If you have a laptop that is no longer needed for your purposes, please consider donating it to the project.
Vodafone has launched a new plan to help people who have become unemployed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This plan will give people unlimited data, minutes, and texts for just £10 a month (a 70% discount as this plan would normally cost £35 per month), for up to 6 months. Find out more.
Events
Taking on Big Tech: The Fight for Digital Rights is a series of talks running over four weeks through November and December 2020. Hosted by the Digital Freedom Fund and the talks aim to explore the key role of competition law in protecting digital rights.
The SETsquared Bristol accelerator are hosting their first-ever open event, Discover SETsquared on 3 December. The virtual event is aimed at tech founders or aspiring tech entrepreneurs who are interested in finding out about a founder-centric business support programme and how it could help them to realise their ideas.
The techUK Digital Ethics Summit on 9-10 December is free to attend and looks set to address some big questions, such as how we build a digitally-enabled economic and societal future that is ethical, responsible and inclusive to all of society.
Job opportunity
WECA are recruiting a new 2-year role to shape the digital innovation and transformation agenda for the region: Programme Manager Digital Innovation and Transformation.