'Digital refugees' phenomenon spotted in rural Scotland
'Digital refugees' phenomenon spotted in rural Scotland
‘Digital refugees’ are leaving areas in rural Scotland because they cannot access fast broadband speeds, according to Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead.
He said that he had seen research which uncovered the phenomenon of people leaving isolated areas with poor network connectivity, fuelled by a desire to live in towns where they were assured of fast broadband services.
Mr Lochhead told MSPs on the Holyrood rural affairs committee: “There is now evidence of people leaving rural communities to live in urban areas, so there is rural depopulation due to a lack of connectivity. While you have traditional conversations about people leaving rural communities due to lack of access to higher education, affordable housing or employment, now there is an added factor where there is not good connectivity that can also lead to rural depopulation.”
Mr Lochhead spoke out about the problem as concerns were raised that around a fifth of the communities in the Scottish Highlands and Islands are set to remain connected to slow internet networks for the foreseeable future.
Although the Scottish Government has a deadline of 2018 to bring 95 per of the country online with superfast broadband, extra money will be needed to ensure the project reaches the most rural areas.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise said around 84 per cent of the area would be connected to broadband within the next three years, but more funding will be necessary to take the scheme further.
Citizens’ Advice Scotland is worried that poor online access and slow speeds are hampering people in affected areas when they are looking for jobs and using other services that now rely on the internet.
Chief executive Margaret Lynch told The Scotsman: “Internet access impacts upon people’s ability to access benefits, apply for jobs and take advantage of cheaper deals on everything from energy to insurance.”
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