UN Report Warns of Widening Global Digital Divide
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs released the World Social Report 2026, warning that billions of people remain excluded from ongoing digital and economic transformations. The report highlights that approximately 2.2 billion people lacked internet access in 2025, facing barriers such as high costs and poor service quality. This issue is significant because growing inequalities in internet connectivity, digital devices, and AI skills risk drastically widening the global digital divide. If left unaddressed, these disparities will further entrench gaps in education, income, and economic opportunities worldwide. The UN report calls for targeted measures to address inequalities in data access and artificial intelligence skills, alongside enhanced international cooperation. It stresses the urgent need to expand fiscal space for countries and build more inclusive global governance mechanisms.
## BACKGROUND
The digital divide refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don't or have restricted access. The World Social Report is a flagship publication by the UN that examines major social trends and challenges facing the global community.