What is digital justice? For many, it starts with their internet bill, says activist
Canada's expensive internet plans can restrict access to people searching for jobs and services online
Internet access is a key battleground in the fight for equality in the digital world, according to the activist behind a new Canadian digital justice organization.
"Canada has very expensive internet plans, and we all are impacted by that," Nasma Ahmed told The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti.
Ahmed cited a study called Internet for All by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). It stated "that low-income individuals spent one-tenth of their income accessing the internet," she explained.
According to Ahmed, that expense creates inequalities in a society where "we have to be logged on to apply for jobs, or to do a lot of things in public services."
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Ahmed launched the Digital Justice Lab this week, an organization that aims to make the digital realm more inclusive and equitable.
The inequalities we face in our everyday lives are finding a foothold in the emerging digital world, she said, from political ads that try to "divide communities that were already divided," to how your social media accounts can be used against you in your professional life.
Listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar.