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UK Online comments on Digital Britain interim report
03/02/2009

"Digital developments are already changing our world, and it's great to see policy developments now reflecting and responding to those changes.

However, in reading Digital Britain and the associated media coverage, I'm also disappointed to see pipes and sites continue to take precedence over people.

Lord Carter's field of digital dreams simply cannot be achieved with a 'build it and they will come' mentality - and I want to see us place less emphasis on the 10% of the country not connected to broadband, and more on the 33% of Brits who don't use the internet at all. Great infrastructures and top-notch content are meaningless if 17 million people still can't, won't or don't take advantage of them.

(However) I strongly believe that Digital Britain and the Digital Inclusion Action Plan provide us with a unique opportunity - but we've got to get it right, and we've got to get it right first time if we're even to attempt to achieve the ambitious targets Lord Carter sets out for 2012. I'm looking to government to solidify, support and carve up achievable actions, ensure coordination, and provide strong leadership across departments and across the third and private sectors. Together, we've got a chance to make Britain 2.0 truly Great, and to create a society and economy fit for the 21st Century."

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