Digital Participation framework puts consumers at the heart of the Government's new national plan
02 March 2010
The Communications Consumer Panel’s consumer framework for digital participation is helping Government to make consumers an integral element of its new National Plan for Digital Participation announced today by Stephen Timms.
Developed by the Panel, the framework is based on a comprehensive review of research with people at all stages of their digital participation journey and sets out what people themselves say they need to get online and get the most out of the internet.
Panel Chair Anna Bradley, said: “The Panel’s job is to make sure that government puts people at the heart of policy. We are therefore delighted that Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms has asked to use our consumer framework in the National Plan.
“Of course, understanding what people need to get online is only the first step. The next step is making sure that everyone can get help to meet those needs. We will be working closely with government and the Digital Participation Consortium to achieve this.”
The National Plan for Digital Participation sets a target for a 60% reduction in the 12.5 million people who are not currently online, with older people and the less well off a particular focus.
It also puts forward ideas about how to use social marketing techniques and targeted outreach to increase the numbers of people going online. This work will be led by the Digital Participation Consortium, which is made up of over 60 representatives from industry and the third sector and chaired by the communications regulator Ofcom.
The Panel will be publishing the framework and the research it is based on in Spring 2010.