27 Examples of Digital Access

John Spacey, updated on September 07, 2023

Digital access is the ability to access digital networks, devices, services, information, software, experiences, events and markets. This relates mostly to financial resources whereby poverty increasingly means being digital isolated due to factors such as paywalls and expensive devices. The following are common examples of digital access.

Access to the internet	Speed of internet access
Internet openness	Lack of censorship
Mobile internet access	Affordability of internet access
Access to computers	Access to mobile devices
Access to software	Digital education
Digital literacy	Lack of paywalls
Free access to research	Free access to news
Digital access for the visually impaired	Accessibility of digital services
Access to ecommerce	Access to digital payments
Access to video games	Access to immersive experiences
Access to virtual reality	Access to artificial intelligence
Access to digital music	Access to digital entertainment
Access to mobile apps	Access to cloud services
Access to communication tools

A student who can't access a research report because it is behind a paywall.

A senior who can't afford access to a local newspaper behind a paywall.

A student who is socially excluded because everyone else in the class plays the same video game that they have never experienced.

A community with slow access to the internet such that services such as streaming media do not work properly.

A family that can't take advantage of a lower price online because they have no credit card for digital payments.

An artist who can't afford a computer with enough computing power to run a powerful tool for digital art.

A child who has used a smart phone but has never used a computer that would allow for more control such as an ability to code and script the device.

A government requires installation of a mobile app to access a public service thus excluding those who don't have the requisite skills to do this or those who are concerned about their digital privacy.

A student who is socially excluded because they can't sign up for a social media app because their phone isn't supported.

A student who is socially excluded because they can't afford trendy and expensive devices used by others.

Notes

It is completely outdated to think of digital access as being just about internet access.

Overview: Digital Access
Type	Digital Divide
Definition	The ability to access digital networks, devices, services, information, software, experiences, events and markets.
Related Concepts	Digital Divide » Digital Literacy »