A strong digital society with digitally skilled people: The discursive construction of digital exclusion and inclusion in newspaper media

Abstract

This study examines how newspapers socially construct the topics of digital exclusion and inclusion in Flanders (Belgium) against a backdrop of substantial governmental investments in digitalization. Using critical discourse analysis, we examined how Flemish newspaper media (March 2020-March 2023) represented digital exclusion as a social problem, the proposed solutions of digital inclusion, and the actors portrayed as responsible for implementing these solutions. Our findings reveal that newspaper coverage predominantly frames digital inclusion through a neoliberal and techno-solutionist lens, emphasizing a "strong digital society" and attributing responsibility to "digitally unskilled" individuals to adapt. However, we also identified a counter-discourse which focuses on structural inequalities, digital access barriers, and the notion of responsible and sustainable digitalization. We argue that the prevailing neoliberal framing risks reinforcing exclusion rather than fostering inclusivity. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.