The interplay between digital and social inclusion in multiethnic Russian society: An empirical investigation

Abstract

The paper discusses the digital inclusion of major and minor ethnic groups in Russia by comparing three broad categories of digital resources, identified in this study as components of the index of inclusion: information and communications technology (ICT) access, skills, and extent of engagement with technologies. Based on these components/subindices, we constructed an index of digital inclusion for the Russian context and tested it on a representative national sample of 765 Internet users (596 Russians, 196 Yakuts). Our study showed that Russians use more platforms for online access (mobile phones, laptops, consoles, smart TV, etc.) than Yakuts and access the Internet through a bigger number of locations, not being limited to home and/or office only. They also have higher level of social, technical, and creative ICT skills, and demonstrate higher levels of digital engagement and overall digital inclusion. We argue that the explanation here lies first of all in the geographical domain, that is traditional location of ethnic minority (Yakuts) in a region that is less digitally advantaged in terms of Internet access, cost, speed, and other factors (Far Eastern federal district), and is not related to ethnicity itself. We think therefore that this study is a good illustration of how the first and the second levels of the digital divide interrelate and influence each other, leading to a situation when people with lower access to the Internet and ICTs have lower skills and competences to use them, therefore risking to become digitally and also socially excluded.