Samenvatting

A large part (almost 50% according to the Dutch CBS figures from 2023) of society is unable to participate independently in the digital society. They have limited digital skills and/or basic digital skills, which are insufficient to interact digitally with governments, to make use of digital healthcare services, and/or to maintain social contacts. This group is becoming less and less a part of society. Their digital exclusion stems from, among other things, limited access (only a mobile phone), limited functional digital skills (how devices work), insufficient critical digital skills (understanding of the driving forces in the digital world), and emotional and physical limitations (lack of confidence in one's own use of digital technology, health problems, cognitive problems, low literacy). This digital exclusion calls into question the meaning and relevance of online public spaces in general and the dangers they pose to less digitally skilled participants. It underscores the importance of striving for greater digital inclusion, both for the benefit of the online public spaces themselves and for less digitally skilled residents, through a mix of focusing on digitally accessible and understandable interfaces, developing (critical) digital skills, and providing appropriate help and support.