How can everyone have access to the digital economy?
The pandemic has exacerbated the need to be connected in order to access 工作, training, and markets. However, the digital economy excludes over half of the world’s population who remain disconnected from the web, with 超过一半 of Africa still offline, and 37% of rural US households with no access to broadband. This is an enormous missed opportunity: connecting the rest of the world could add $6.7万亿年 to the economy and lift 500 million people out of poverty.
Building an inclusive digital economy—that affords everyone the opportunity to lead a dignified and productive life—will require access to digital services for everyone. It will also require reliable infrastructure, 设备, and affordable data plans for all, particularly for those who do not have access in 远程 and rural areas. 进一步, access to commerce, 信用额度, 安全网, and saving mechanisms are key for a global economy w在这里 nearly 20亿年 people remain unbanked, and more than 60% of the workforce is informal.
The MIT Solve community is looking for technology-based solutions that ensure everyone has access to the digital economy. To that end, Solve seeks solutions that:
- Provide low-income, 远程, and refugee communities access to digital infrastructure and safe, affordable internet.
- 让每个人都, regardless of age, 性别, 教育, 位置, 或能力, with culturally relevant digital literacy skills to enable participation in the digital economy.
- Scale safe and private digital identity and financial tools to allow people and small businesses to thrive in the digital economy.
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