5 Ways the Internet Empowers Women

In the past few years, there has been a dramatic shift from the “permissionless innovation“ era of technological advancement to demanding a heavily regulated, state-controlled tech sector. While there are many valid concerns about the tech sector, we cannot forget how much the Digital Age has advanced and equalized our society–especially for women. 

This Women’s History Month, we should celebrate the equalizing power of the Internet. Below I highlight 5 ways access to technology advancements has leveled the playing field. 

1. Access to Education and Information

With the advent of the Internet came a plethora of educational resources–both for free and for a small price. A broadband connection and a computer drive suddenly helped people find resources from Khan Academy, to online schooling, to the most basic information on Google. The best part of this access is that people of all backgrounds, sexes, genders, races, and creeds can have this knowledge at their fingertips, if they obtain an internet service provider (ISP). 

At the end of 2019, fewer than 14.5 million Americans lacked sufficient broadband access (25 Mbps/3 Mbps) according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a more than 20% decrease from the previous year. The FCC also notes that “more than three-quarters of those in newly served areas, nearly 3.7 million, are located in rural areas, bringing the number of rural Americans in areas served by at least 25/3 Mbps to nearly 83%.” More Americans are getting connected online, opening them up to these education services. 

Not to mention, Journalism as an industry has also moved mostly online, which gives people access to reporting in real time and from multiple outlets at once, rather than relying on just a couple print sources at a time. One can read books, find many news sources, listen to podcasts about almost any topic, conduct research, learn about legal rights, and more. 

2. Quick Access to Job Postings

Similar to how you use a search engine to find information, the Internet has blown open the door to finding your dream job. In the past, you needed a newspaper, a local bulletin for open positions, or an employment or classified section, and then you would search through many listings to find one relevant to your career. 

As innovators took to the Internet, new sites and services like LinkedIn and Talent Market began popping up. Companies created web storefronts and started placing their job postings online. This has enabled people to filter and  find all the jobs relative to their skill set in their area or around the world in a matter of minutes. Women can  quickly look for jobs that match their skillset, find resources to help them prepare, look up a company’s reputation, and apply for jobs immediately online. 

3. Working from Home or Independent Contracting Services

The Internet opened the door to the job market, and then folks found that they could do many different jobs from home on their computers. This tool has been particularly useful for working families who cannot afford to send their children to daycare, have illnesses or other ailments that make office life challenging, or, this year, to keep on working through a pandemic. 

The Internet created a new era of online, independent contracting jobs. The list of these jobs are endless: ride-sharing, delivery, selling homemade products on Etsy or through another marketplace, pet care, and even building an independent business. People can use these tools to create their own schedule and work at their own pace rather than being stuck to a traditional 8-hour workday. 

Both of these innovations– working from home and online, independent contracting–have especially helped working moms who want to support their family but still require a flexible schedule. 

4. Using Free Speech to Create Global Campaigns and Movements 

One of the biggest victories of the Internet for women is  connectivity.  People team up from all over the world  to tackle serious issues, like political movements, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, misconduct, and more. For example, women were able to engage with the Me Too Movement globally since they connected online to listen and understand those who are victims of sexual abuse. While reasonable people can disagree about the benefits of specific claims within this movement, the fact that people have platforms to engage with these ideas freely  is beneficial to a society that cares about open dialogue. 

5. Managing Financial Assets from Anywhere

Access to banking is one of the best ways to advance a society. Before the 1960s, women couldn’t even own their own bank account, and in 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act prevented discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, or religion when applying for a credit card. Before, unmarried women were mostly barred from receiving credit, and married women could often only get credit with their husbands’ signatures. 

As the Internet evolved, banks moved online and allowed people to easily manage their assets, pay bills, apply for credit or loans, and invest. With discrimination on the basis of sex legally prevented to receive these services, women can easily open their own bank accounts and manage their money  from home. This gave us a new, financial empowerment that continues to  equalize our society.  

This Women’s History Month, we should celebrate how women have been enfranchised throughout the past century. In this story, we cannot leave out how technology–and especially access to the Internet–has helped empower not only the lives of women, but the lives of economic participants.