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In July 2022, PCs for People entered a $20M contract with the State of Ohio and Cuyahoga County. This partnership will provide low- or no-cost, high-speed internet access to roughly 25,000 households. Read more via the press release here.
Since 1998, PCs for People has supported digital inclusion for thousands of people across the country. We are proud of our work and the data shared here and strive to always remember that our impact is not in the data, but in the experiences of the individuals, families, and organizations who benefit from equitable access to computers, internet, and digital skills.
When reporting on or talking about issues related to digital equity, language matters. We recommend understanding and using the terms here, as well as others that can be found through the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s Definitions resource here.
Digital Inclusion refers to the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This includes five elements:
1. Affordable, robust broadband internet service;
2. Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user;
3. Access to digital literacy training;
4. Quality technical support; and
5. Applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation and collaboration.
Digital Inclusion must evolve as technology advances. Digital Inclusion requires intentional strategies and investments to reduce and eliminate historical, institutional and structural barriers to access and use technology.
Digital equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.
It is important to note here the use of “equity” vs. “equality.” When we use the word equity, we accurately acknowledge the systemic barriers that must be dismantled before achieving equality for all.
The digital divide is the gap between those who have affordable access, skills, and support to effectively engage online and those who do not. As technology constantly evolves, the digital divide prevents equal participation and opportunity in all parts of life, disproportionately affecting people of color, Indigenous peoples, households with low incomes, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, and older adults.
A group of U.S. Senators and Representatives have introduced the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, a bipartisan legislation aimed at
The Eastlake Public Library recently hosted an event organized by a national nonprofit, PCs for People, to give people in
Access to high-speed internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity that can help bridge the digital divide. To
