European Commission slashes budget for digital advisors

© PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Archives

While digital inclusion is presented as one of France's major social priorities, faced with a drastic reduction in public funding, the country is preparing to lose thousands of digital advisors. Too bad for those who need them.

Digital technology is everywhere, but digital inclusion is becoming a luxury. Around 8 million citizens are still struggling with digital illiteracy, and the government seems to be taking a risky gamble by reducing the resources allocated to digital support. As reported by Siècle Digital, the threat of the elimination of 2,000 digital advisor positions is looming, undermining one of the most crucial mechanisms in the fight against the digital divide.

These advisors, created in 2021 as part of the France Relance plan, do more than just help with Internet browsing. They train citizens who need it, raise awareness of the environmental challenges of digital technology and support small businesses in their digital transformation. But the Higher Digital Commission has reported that the credits reserved for digital inclusion will drop from 62 million euros to 27 million in 2025.

While local authorities and associations are fighting to maintain this vital service, a clear and sustainable response is still pending. Some actors have notably proposed the creation of a national fund for digital inclusion or the introduction of taxes on companies in the sector, which seem necessary to fill this financial gap.

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