Insiders and Outsiders

Summary There are two reasons for using the variables of majority and minority as the basis for dividing up a discussion of equal opportunities. The first is to establish that an IT insider is a member of an elite: most people, because they are female, poor, excluded by political decision, or a mixture of all of these, are IT outsiders. The second is to squash the commonly voiced and patronizing view that in a democratic society deprived or excluded groups must, almost by definition, be minorities. Hence the previous chapter focused on what is clearly a majority of the world’s population. This chapter now turns to minorities, and parts of it will be largely descriptive about the efforts made within IT to accommodate some minority groups: but there is a moral, political and strategic context to establish and keep in mind throughout. It is too easy to be seduced by the technological marvels of computer aids for those who are blind or paraplegic, and so forget the real state of affairs for other needy groups. Following themes from the previous chapter, we look specifically at ways IT is used to help or hinder disadvantaged minorities. The groups studied will include people with physical or developmental disability, ethnic minorities, those who experience mental illness or some other vulnerability, and those who are losing independence as a result of ageing.