Bill Woods speaks with Jess Wilson, CEO of Good Things Foundation Australia, which holds Get Online Week to raise awareness around the importance of being connected online, while also building Australians’ digital skills and online confidence through community events.

Australians are considered ‘digitally excluded’ when they don’t have the affordable access to devices or digital skills they need to keep up in today’s society. With the cost of living steadily rising, low-income communities will find it even harder to access the technologies they need for equal opportunities, thus further widening the digital divide.

Although the digital divide impacts people of all ages and walks of life, it disproportionately impacts older Australians (aged 65+), with 80% finding it difficult to keep up with technology. Surprisingly, 41% of young people aged 18-34 years old find it difficult to keep up with changing technology, despite the misconception that they are tech-savvy and quick to adapt to digital changes.

Australians across all ages also feel anxious about their online safety, with 43% saying they feel concerned for their own online safety, while almost two-thirds (61%) lack confidence in identifying misinformation online.

This Get Online Week, more than 600 free events are being run by community organisations across the country to support Australians’ digital literacy and combat digital exclusion. To find an event in your area, visit aus.getonlineweek.com or call 1300 795 897.

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