Abstract
The "Internet-of-Things" (IoT) promises social benefits across a range of policy areas, such as energy, health, transportation, public safety, and environmental policy, but attention to the skills needed by individuals who use it will be an important issue for public policy, in order to ensure full exploitation of these technologies and to avoid unintended consequences. We argue that comparative advantages of the IoT to people will vary based on differentiated skills and resources, enabling smaller groups of people to benefit, and disadvantaging others in new ways. This need for renewed attention to digital skills and knowledge might at first seem paradoxical, given that many of these technologies operate autonomously and behind the scenes. We discuss evolving digital technologies and related skills, and explain from a systems perspective how the IoT differs from prior technologies, with a premium placed on user knowledge and strategic skills. Finally, we bring together the issues of the digital divide and IoT skills, and set an agenda for future IoT public policy and research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 122-140 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Policy & internet |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 13 Feb 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2018 |
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Keywords
- UT-Hybrid-D
- Digital divide
- Digital skills
- Internet-of-Things
- IoT
- Public policy
- Big data
Cite this
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Any Thing for Anyone? A New Digital Divide in Internet-of-Things Skills. / van Deursen, Alexander J.A.M. (Corresponding Author); Mossberger, Karen (Corresponding Author).
In: Policy & internet, Vol. 10, No. 2, 06.2018, p. 122-140.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Any Thing for Anyone? A New Digital Divide in Internet-of-Things Skills
AU - van Deursen, Alexander J.A.M.
AU - Mossberger, Karen
N1 - Wiley deal
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - The "Internet-of-Things" (IoT) promises social benefits across a range of policy areas, such as energy, health, transportation, public safety, and environmental policy, but attention to the skills needed by individuals who use it will be an important issue for public policy, in order to ensure full exploitation of these technologies and to avoid unintended consequences. We argue that comparative advantages of the IoT to people will vary based on differentiated skills and resources, enabling smaller groups of people to benefit, and disadvantaging others in new ways. This need for renewed attention to digital skills and knowledge might at first seem paradoxical, given that many of these technologies operate autonomously and behind the scenes. We discuss evolving digital technologies and related skills, and explain from a systems perspective how the IoT differs from prior technologies, with a premium placed on user knowledge and strategic skills. Finally, we bring together the issues of the digital divide and IoT skills, and set an agenda for future IoT public policy and research.
AB - The "Internet-of-Things" (IoT) promises social benefits across a range of policy areas, such as energy, health, transportation, public safety, and environmental policy, but attention to the skills needed by individuals who use it will be an important issue for public policy, in order to ensure full exploitation of these technologies and to avoid unintended consequences. We argue that comparative advantages of the IoT to people will vary based on differentiated skills and resources, enabling smaller groups of people to benefit, and disadvantaging others in new ways. This need for renewed attention to digital skills and knowledge might at first seem paradoxical, given that many of these technologies operate autonomously and behind the scenes. We discuss evolving digital technologies and related skills, and explain from a systems perspective how the IoT differs from prior technologies, with a premium placed on user knowledge and strategic skills. Finally, we bring together the issues of the digital divide and IoT skills, and set an agenda for future IoT public policy and research.
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
KW - Digital divide
KW - Digital skills
KW - Internet-of-Things
KW - IoT
KW - Public policy
KW - Big data
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041856708&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/poi3.171
DO - 10.1002/poi3.171
M3 - Article
VL - 10
SP - 122
EP - 140
JO - Policy & internet
JF - Policy & internet
SN - 1944-2866
IS - 2
ER -