DIGITAL ILLITERACY IN THE INFORMATION AGE: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION ON BRAZILIAN EDUCATION
Keywords:
Digital Illiteracy, Social Exclusion, Information Technology, Digital Education, Technological InequalityAbstract
Introduction: Digital illiteracy, which continues to grow in the information age, limits the full exercise of citizenship, hinders job opportunities, and reinforces social inequalities. Many people still struggle to access and use technologies in a more informed way, and this ends up reducing their chances of making better use of what the digital world can offer. The study in question sought to understand why digital illiteracy occurs in Brazil, what its effects and challenges are, and also to point out pathways in education and public policy to reduce this problem. The methodology involved an integrative literature review and a qualitative descriptive study, analyzing publications from the last four years in the SciELO, Google Scholar, and CAPES databases. The results show that digital illiteracy is closely linked to factors such as low educational attainment, low income, older age, and the lack of technological infrastructure in remote neighborhoods and rural areas. Even those who use the internet daily still need to learn important skills, such as evaluating whether information is true, protecting themselves online, and using technology responsibly. It is concluded that, in addition to access, it is essential to promote critical civic education to ensure effective social inclusion in the digital age.
