Inclusive Tech Policy: Developing Policies to Ensure that Breakthrough Technologies are Attainable by Everyone.

In today’s world, where technology pervades every dimension of human life, it is crucial to safeguard that its fruits are accessible to every individual regardless of their economic and social background, disabilities or even their residential area. The chief aim of inclusive tech policies is to overcome the challenges revolving around digital inequities with respect to the availability of the technological evolution to everyone. This way, such policies in turn seek the reduction of the gaps of access and supply of technologies between well resourced areas and those that are not well resourced, address minority ethnical segments and augment and enhance the growth of social justice in the tech space. The purpose of this paper is to discuss why inclusive tech policy is necessary, policy aspects that require the attention and concentration of developers within the domain, and scrutiny of policy options that encourage more inclusivity and accessibility of technology and its components in general.

The gold standard of nondiscrimination is the most important reason explaining why each one of us should adopt inclusive tech policies. If such policies are absent, progress in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital health or education technology can unintentionally exacerbate inequities and discrimination of underrepresented and underserved people instead of advancing them. For example in education, students that belong to minority and economically disadvantaged cycles are deprived of using diverse digital learning materials and applications which then gets reflected on their achieved outcomes, or when concerning the issue of health care access large amount of telemedicine and electronic health record coverage can not be achieved due to unavailability of these means of communication.

1. Equitable Access to Opportunities: Guarantees that all people have the opportunity to take advantage of technology no matter their background.

2. Economic Empowerment: Encourages employment opportunities and computer knowledge in disadvantaged areas.

3. Social Cohesion: Aids in leveling inequalities and fosters a more inclusive society.

4. Innovation Diversity: Helps to develop technologies from a variety of angles which in turn helps to create developed technologies that will be valued by a wider range of consumers.

Statement from Thane Ritchie: “Empowerment should be accompanied by technology instead of it being a hurdle to empowerment. Effective technology policies ought to be inclusive otherwise the rate of innovation will serve a few rather than the whole populace.”

Inclusive technology policy and interventions can be more effective if these issues are planned comprehensively, and access, cost, education, and diversity are just a few to mention. The following are some core areas where policy interventions are essential:

1. Broadband and Internet Residential Affordability : Fundamental to utilization of technology in equal measure is fast internet connection. Policies that ensue that broadband connection is cheap and widely available can narrow the gaps that exist in relation to technology. In a rural area and in deprived areas of cities there are initiatives to increase broadband infrastructure through the use of subsidies, joint venture or partnership with the private sector and tax policies. Example: U. S. Federal Communications Commission s Lifeline Program finances the tax expenses with subsidies for broadband and mobile costs in low income families so that the number of families connected to internet increases

2. Digital Literacy and Education: Having access to technology is not enough, skills on how to use it have to be taught as well. There are policies which can aid in promoting the practice of digital literacy in schools, libraries, as well as community centers, thus enabling people to thrive in the digital realm. Especially, a part of that is providing digital literacy training for digital safety and privacy, as well as responsible use of technology through technology critical thinking training.
Example: Children in Finland already learn the first steps in coding, internet safety and information literacy within the range of the digital education curriculum.

3. Accessible Technology for People with Disabilities: Policies and strategies in technology should also consider people who have disabilities and ensure that people with disabilities can use the technologies. This means also being able to implement or adopt accessibility policies such as WCAG which contain recommendations on how to make websites and other digital services accessible to the blind, deaf and physically disabled.
Example: The European Accessibility Act which is already in force requires all digital services and products such as E-commerce websites and software to be designed and developed in a way that meets the needs of Persons with Disabilities.

4. Ensuring Diversity and Inclusion in Tech Development: Research shows that diversity in a tech company or a research institution enhances the quality of products with a wider user base. All inclusive practices in technology policies mean that organizations should have fair recruitment policies and encourage diversity across the board from all levels including executive positions. There are also certain advantages that governments give to organizations that protect diversity and promote inclusiveness.
Example: In Canada programs have been set up with the view to assist women and without the understanding properly all of these initiatives are often suffocated by the government or at least to limit the forms in which they could for demonstration STEM’s like Aboriginal communities all of them in to gage tech companies to not recommend group inclusivity Appropriate reason initiatives to join presented to.

Several countries and Institutions have included within their efforts to broadening inclusion towards the underrepresented groups the development of relevant policies and changes of states such as banking and working with american diplomats with pre-existing conditions.

• Digital India: Expanding internet access, improving information literacy, promoting the development of electronically accessible state services and enabling all Indians to use technology are the main objectives of the initiative. The BharatNet initiative connects rural villages throughout India to high-speed internet, promoting education, health care, and economic activities.

• Strategy for Digital Transformation in Australia: Encompasses frameworks aimed at improving efforts to ensure all Australians are able to use digital services, meetings specific goals to widen the scope of access, apply standards of design regardless of the age or situation of the user, and promote literacy programs. The Australian government collaborates with councils to reach out to the areas with less coverage, enhancing the ability of people to go online and offering services through the internet.

• Kenya’s Vision 2030 valued the local content: This documents emphasizes the objectives of ensuring that all Kenyan have internet access, improving digital skills of the people, and creating opportunities for people to work through the use of digital technology. It focuses on addressing the issue of having an economy that is limited on net resources with focus on making small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and people from rural areas physical economic resources to the digital space.

The challenges that are filled with in the inclusive tech policy are there regardless of their necessity to solve them. The major challenges are:

• Funding and Resource Allocation: Developing telecommunications infrastructure, developing users and training programs for effective usage of ICTs require substantial funding which I believe less privileged economies can hardly afford. • Data Privacy and Security: As the population starts using the digital technology the policy for data privacy becomes of greater importance. Protection of users from breaches of privacy and data misuse is key to the faith of users in the digital world.

• Fostering Innovation and Inclusiveness: In the same vein, there is a need to strike a policy balance in fostering rapid technological growth as well ensuring that such technologies are utilised for the good of everyone. The rapid development of the new technologies may, however, lead to more inequalities and thus the need to craft policies which are proactive for instance towards inclusivity.

Inclusive tech policy can participate in addressing those challenges in order to contribute to a digital scenario where any digital technology from any angle serve to benefit everybody these policies and inclusiveness.

Inclusive tech policies are equal in importance when one aims for an equal and just digital world. Inclusion of strategies that target broadband expansion, skill development, improving accessibility, and increasing representation in the tech space would assist policy makers to narrow the digital gap and ensure that the society benefits from the evolution of technology. With the fast pace of technology advancements, the emphasis on inclusivity needs to remain at the center of developing the virtual world for equity, social stability and economic advancement. With the leaders from the government, the technology companies and the society working hand in hand, inclusion tech policies have the potential to change the face of technology for the better.