Executive Summary
Introduction
Our society is in the midst of a profound technology-based communications revolution. This so-called "digital revolution" is transforming our economic, social, political and cultural life. These advances hold the potential to empower individuals and organizations interested in pursuing social and economic justice to harness technology to advance social change in new powerful ways.
For those with access to technology and the skills to use it, the digital age will bring unprecedented empowerment and opportunity. Unfortunately, not everyone has such access and there is evidence that technological advances may be aggravating existing patterns of inequality between those with access to Information Age tools and the skills to use them and those without (commonly referred to as the "digital divide").
The Need For This Report
One aspect of the divide that has not received much attention is the manner in which the digital age is impacting the civil and human rights groups who advocate for a more equitable and just society. Do they, like many of the constituencies they represent, stand on the wrong side of the digital divide? If so, what are the implications for their work to achieve social justice or to help shape the new digital society?
This report, a project of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) and the Leadership Conference Education Fund (LCEF), examines the capacity and use of new technologies among national civil rights organizations as well as their understanding and participation in communications and Internet public policy issues. The primary findings are: 1) while national civil and human rights groups struggle to join the digital age, they still remain far behind; and 2) more importantly, national civil and human rights organizations have not been among the organizations at the policy making table, influencing public policies that set the fundamental rules of engagement for the digital age.
During the kick-off of the White House's Digital New Markets tour in April 2000, President Clinton observed that the Internet promises to "be the greatest equalizing force our society or any other has ever known." But the question remains, how can that promise be realized if the principal advocates for equal opportunity over the years, the national civil and human rights community, remains largely disconnected?"
At the dawn of a new century that will be shaped by new technologies yet unimagined, under-served populations cannot afford to be shut out of these new opportunities. This report is intended as a first step toward assuring that those who represent the disadvantaged, those who advance the goals of equality and social justice, find a place at the digital opportunity table.
Key Findings
Examination of the civil rights community's technological capacity and policy awareness resulted in the identification of both opportunities and challenges that are highlighted below:
Technology Capacity
- Civil and human rights organizations are beginning to embrace new information and communications technologies, however, they still have a long way to go;
- Respondents agree that technology capacity is critical to successful pursuit of civil rights goals;
- Technology training has not been a priority for respondent organizations, particularly at the higher levels of management;
- Grassroots affiliates are far behind the national offices in technology capacity and use;
- The civil and human rights community needs assistance in understanding what "accessible" means in the digital age;
- Few organizations have comprehensive communications and/or technology plans;
- Organizations rank themselves high on technology capacity and use, but believe the rest of the civil and human rights community is far behind;
- The civil and human rights community welcomes coordinated efforts to improve technology utilization.
Communications and Internet Policy
- Civil and human rights groups understand that digital policy is important to advancing social justice;
- Concern about the digital divide is not yet translating into activism on communications and Internet policy;
- Few civil and human rights organizations currently have plans to increase involvement or devote more resources to digital issues over the next one to three years; and,
- Civil rights organizations would place higher priority on digital issues if financial resources and technical assistance were made available.
Recommendations
Over the past several years, the world has witnessed a spectacular communications and technological revolution. This revolution has the potential to expand oppor- tunity greatly for everyone, but the potential is especially great for under-served communities because of the remarkable new opportunities now being presented to apply new strategies to solve age-old inequities.
With appropriate leadership, investment and collaboration, we can help ensure that new communications advances are leveraged to improve people's lives, reinforce society's core values, and strengthen our institutions. While some progress is being made in improving the technology capacity and readiness of the civil rights community and its involvement in the development of communications and Internet public policy, much more is needed. Accordingly, we offer the following recommendations designed to help ensure that all segments of society can participate fully in the Digital Age.
Building Information Technology Capacity Among Leadership Conference Member Organizations
Develop A Coalition-Wide Technology Assistance Initiative
Given that the best hope for the civil rights community to develop a strong presence online is to work collaboratively, the coalition should develop a coalition-wide technology assistance initiative. Such a coalition-wide initiative would leverage limited resources from many sources to provide a wide-range of technical assistance including hardware and software development, network installation, database development, web site design, training, and broader technology consultation.
A coalition-wide initiative would include the development of an umbrella web site (portal), a trusted clearinghouse that would bring together like-minded socially responsible organizations as well as link loyal communities around them. The portal would allow for the efficient pooling of content and constituencies and could create a vibrant, issue-based community that grows along with the Internet, providing all participating sites a significant value-added entry point for their content. Such a portal could also ensure that social justice-oriented content is accessible and inclusive for all segments of the population.
Beyond the coalition-wide technology assistance initiative, there are several specific ways the civil rights community, the business community, and the foundation community can each help build the technology capacity of national organizations.
Increasing the technology capacity of the civil rights community will not occur without national leadership and vision. Toward that end, the leadership of the civil rights coalition must use its prestige and influence to improve the coalition's knowledge and use of the emerging technologies in all its work.
- Develop Comprehensive Technology Plans That Stress Employee Training
- Utilize Technology More Effectively To Achieve Programmatic Goals
- Import Technology Knowledge Into The Coalition With Strategic Technology Consulting
- Convene Technology Leadership Forums For Civil Rights, Industry, And Foundation Leaders
- Convene Technology Assistance Forums For Staff
- Become Accessible And Inclusive
- Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate
The business community, particularly the high-tech industry, is in the best position to help civil rights leaders realize the potential of recent technological advances. As the brain trust of the technology revolution, the industry has the vision and a staff uniquely qualified to serve as "trainers of trainers" for the civil rights community. While some companies within the high-tech industry have already made significant profits, the full potential of the industry has yet to be realized. As the industry seeks new ways to promote its products and services, civil and human rights organizations can play an important intermediary role to some of the communities that have been slower to adopt these new technologies.
- Provide Hardware, Software, And High-Speed Internet Access
- Encourage And Support Training Efforts
- Encourage And Support Employees' Volunteer Efforts
- Help Build Collaborative Web-Based Applications
- Convene Leadership Forums With Civil Rights Leaders
- Provide Direct Financial Assistance
By all accounts, civil rights organizations have found it difficult to find support for the development of a technology infrastructure. Yet, as the survey makes clear, those costs remain a major hurdle for social justice organizations. While a number of organizations have achieved base-line capabilities, most remain far behind.
While some in the technology industry have stepped up to help with capacity building, most foundations that fund the core civil rights mission have not yet recognized the nexus between technology and equal justice in the digital age. As should now be clear, equality and social justice are now inextricably intertwined with the ability of organizations to organize, advocate and build the civil rights voice online. Because of their control over resources, foundations funding social justice organizations have a unique role to play in building the technology capacity of civil rights organizations.
- Improve Technology Culture In Foundation Community
- Support Technology Capacity Building Initiatives
- Fund Early Adapters
- Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate
- Demand Accessible And Inclusive Technology Utilization From Grantees
- Specifically Fund Organizations Working To Bridge Digital Divide
Establish A Coalition-Wide Resident Scholar Program For Communications And Internet Policy
This report makes clear that in order to increase the civil and human rights community's participation on communications and Internet policy debates, there is a critical need for substantive and substantial research on the nexus between civil rights and digital policy. While specific recommendations for various sectors are posted below, one overarching recommendation that should be considered by all is the creation of a Resident Scholar on communications and Internet policy for the civil rights community.
To date, the civil rights community has played a very limited role in the debates about advanced communications technologies. Increasing the civil and human rights community's involvement in policy debates shaping the digital age will only occur with strong leadership and vision at the national level. LCCR's Executive Committee must add these issues to its agenda and establish a task force to spearhead this work.
- Develop Communications And Internet Staff Positions
- Create Communications And Internet Policy Education Campaigns
- Collaborate With Media Policy Groups
- Convene Communications And Internet Policy Leadership Forums
It is in the high-tech industry's short-term and long-term interest to ensure that all segments of the population fully understand e-policy issues. The faster that civil and human rights organizations integrate technology policy into their missions, the faster their constituencies will begin integrating technology into their daily lives. Help is needed, however, in turning civil rights organizations into de facto "technology ambassadors," underscoring the critical need for the industry to accelerate the understanding, acceptance and use of information technology among under-served communities.
- Convene Policy Forums With Civil Rights Leaders
- Take A Leadership Role In Promoting Diversity In The Workplace
Foundations that care about civil and human rights in the digital age must play a critical role in elevating communications and Internet policy among their grantees and in mobilizing social justice organizations on these critical public policy issues.
- Build The Civil Rights Community's Knowledge Base And Capacity For Communications And Internet Policy
- Collaborate With Media And Internet Programs
- Include Communications And Internet Policy At Foundation Community Meetings Focusing On Civil Rights
- Support Communications And Internet Research Projects
- Support Communications And Internet Demonstration Projects For Grassroots Constituencies
Conclusion
The survey results make it clear that the civil and human rights community recognizes the importance of this moment; but also that a significant disconnect remains between understanding and action. The pursuit of equal opportunity and social justice, and enhancement of civil rights cannot be severed from the realities of the digital age. The time for leadership, investment and collaboration is now. If the civil and human rights community is to ensure a voice for the voiceless in the years ahead, if it is to help shape the emerging digital society, it must act now to build capacity and policy knowledge. In this fast-paced century, those who hesitate may indeed risk being left behind. This is a result that must not occur.
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