Dallas, which was once a hub for the oil and real estate industries, has now evolved a booming technology industry home to major companies such as AT&T and Texas Instruments as well as the recent additions of Apple and Google. However, despite the industry taking off, the U.S. faces a growing digital divide between the wealthy and the rest of the population with the 2020 census reporting that roughly 10 million households across the country had no internet subscription and roughly 5 million did not have any computing device or smart phone at home, Dallas is no exception to this national issue. And although some are working to bridge the divide, it’s not enough — and UTD needs to intervene before the situation grows dire.
Prior to moving to DFW, I was born and raised in an area with unstable digital access. Sometimes, having access to Wi-Fi — or Wi-Fi fast enough to look up any information — was a complete gamble. The only place with high-speed internet that I could access was my school’s computer lab, which was at times either overcrowded or closed. Since moving to the U.S., I have realized I have a learning gap, especially when compared to my classmates who grew up more digitally connected. Whether it is pop culture or current events, it took me extra time to understand them and how they’re impactful. While I’ve come a long way from that past, I still wonder what would’ve happened if my access to the digital world continued to be restricted and unpredictable.
Dallas’s low-income residents are unable to gain constant access to high-speed internet and resources needed to thrive in a technology-driven economy. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey states that 42% of Dallas households lack access to reliable, high-speed internet. This gap is not just about having Wi-Fi at home but also maintaining access to the economy and education. Those without internet are at risk of being kept in the dark about current events, job opportunities, helpful resources and networks and more, resulting in a dramatic gap between the area’s affluent and underserved neighborhoods. In an increasingly modern world, a lack of stable internet access can completely devastate a person.
UTD should take a stand and help bridge this digital divide not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it benefits both the university and the Dallas community. Since UTD is well regarded for its engineering and computer programs, the university could invest in digital literacy programs — designed to teach internet navigation, cybersecurity and media literacy to those who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity — that reach beyond the walls of the campus. A more digitally literate population can increase the percentage of individuals interested in joining the STEM fields, thus boosting enrollment and participation in UTD’s tech programs.
UTD could partner up with nonprofits such as CARDBoard Project and Compudopt to promote digital literacy on a wider scale. CARDBoard Project helps foster digital literacy by loaning out devices like laptops and hosting training programs for their use, and Compudopt provides households computers, helps improve Wi-Fi access and hosts digital education programs as well.
Individual UTD students can convince the university to take on the digital divide via petitions or Student Government hearings. While UTD currently helps low-income neighborhoods in the Greater Dallas area with free coding clubs and discounts for low-income families, this is done with corporate company partnerships and not participation from its students. Furthermore, these programs are mainly targeted towards K-12 students rather than the Dallas population at large. Students can also either individually work with the nonprofits or the City of Dallas, especially through the Digital Navigators program, to teach any technical or digital skills they have learned during their academic career. While the local community already has these programs and nonprofit to aid the fight for digital equity, they tend to lack funding or volunteers, which is where students can come in.
While UTD taking the first step in this initiative would be groundbreaking, companies such as Microsoft and Google that benefit from Texas’ low cost of living should also invest in community infrastructure. Programs such as AT&T’s $5 billion commitment to reducing the digital divide and helping 25 million people access high-speed internet by 2030 demonstrates progress and support in digital inclusion, as does the City of Dallas’ $11.1 million social impact grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration to close the divide. Over the next four years, the grant will support the city’s efforts to ensure all Dallas residents have access to high-speed internet and digital resources. While all these private and public investments are good, they still will not solve the whole problem, and that’s why UTD’s — and its student body’s — participation matters on the community level.