Digitally Disconnected: Understanding the Digital Divide During COVID-19

Children and Screens held the #AskTheExperts webinar “Digitally Disconnected: Understanding the Digital Divide During COVID-19″ on March 24, 2021 at 12:00pm ET to address the ways that COVID-19 exacerbated the digital divide for children and families. This virtual workshop explored how children and adolescents had struggled to cope with the demand for constant connectivity with limited access to fast internet and/or the devices they needed to attend virtual school and connect with peers. A panel of multidisciplinary experts from the fields of public health, education, psychology, and parenting discussed how a lack of internet privileges in the digital age affects the socioemotional, developmental, and physical wellbeing of children and what parents, schools, and policymakers can do about it. In addition, this important webinar provided useful resources, tools, and opportunities for communities in need as well as recommendations for how those with ample resources can help.