Digital Literacy

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Office of Digital Opportunity is defining what it means to be digitally prepared. Recognizing that digital access alone is not enough, NCDIT released its North Carolina Digital Skills Standards, a statewide framework that identifies the essential knowledge and abilities residents need to engage in civic, economic, and social life.

The digital world just became less optional. As of September 30, 2025, the federal government has stopped issuing paper checks for benefits like Social Security. Payments are now deposited directly into bank accounts or onto prepaid debit cards—methods that require not only access to financial services but also the ability to navigate online systems. This is just the latest in a series of policy changes that assume universal internet access. From healthcare enrollment to unemployment benefits, tax filing to student loan repayment, more essential services are now available only online.

The Center for Democracy & Technology’s Hand in Hand: Schools’ Embrace of AI Connected to Increased Risks to Students examines the frequency and variety of artificial intelligence use in educational settings in the 2024-25 school year. CDT finds that teachers and students are using AI tools more than ever before.

This paper provides an analysis of previously unpublished demographic-specific data on individuals and households that either: (1) lack any type of computing device, or (2) rely exclusively on smartphones for their internet connectivity. According to data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), 1 in 7 households in the United States fit into one of these categories and thus lack large-screen computers. However, this rate varied widely across socioeconomic characteristics.

The work of digital navigators across the country was to be propped up by a $2.75 billion federal program that was abruptly canceled this spring.

A key component of expanding access to high-speed internet, increasing the affordability of connectivity and devices, and providing meaningful digital skills training  is defining what it means to be digitally prepared. Recognizing that digital access alone is not enough, this project introduces the North Carolina Digital Skills Standards, a statewide framework that identifies  the essential knowledge and abilities residents need to engage in civic, economic, and social life.  The key six areas of focus are: 1. Digital Identity 2. Digital Wellbeing 3. Digital Relationships 4.

A Digital Divide Simulation exercise convened by Neighborhood Allies with partner organizations, including the Greater Pittsburgh Digital Inclusion Alliance, coincided with  with the start of Digital Inclusion Week.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has continued to alter the educational experiences of teachers, students, and parents during the 2024-25 school year. The frequency and variety of AI uses continues to grow; at the same time, the increased use of AI in educational settings is correlated with heightened risks to students. The following section details the current status of AI use in schools along with four emerging risks associated with this technology, all of which increase the more that a school uses AI:

“We all benefit when we are all connected—when workers connect with employers, patients connect with doctors, students connect with teachers, and small businesses connect with customers. That’s what Congress designed the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program to deliver—connectivity and opportunity for all," said Executive Director Dr. Revati Prasad. “NDIA’s action today is an unfortunately necessary step to restoring Congress’s intention.

In 2024, the FBI reported that annual rates of elder fraud increased 14% from 2022 to 2023. Tech support scams and personal data breaches were the top causes, of which there were over 25,000 complaints. These scams culminated in $3.4 billion in losses, averaging about $30,000 per victim. The Digital Equity Act—part of 2021's larger Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—helped fund education programs to prevent fraud.