Paul Shuttleworth
The 'digital native' test case
As I look for my next job, I hope I can make one small change that will encourage employers to think inclusively by becoming a 'test case'.
I'm calling out age discrimination by challenging the thinking behind the term 'digital native' as a selection criterion in job adverts. As a phrase that means people born after 1980, I'm asking employers to consider if this is age discrimination.
I'll be telling my story on this website over the coming weeks.
What the dictionaries say
From the Oxford English Dictionary to wikipedia, I have found over 20 sources that agree a digital native means someone that grew up in the digital age, usually defined as 1980 onwards. If you see an employer looking for a 'digital native' they are looking for a certain age group.
What the Equality Act says
You must not be discriminated against because you are (or are not) a certain age or in a certain group.
What does 'digital native' mean and why is it a problem?
Change I've made...
If you don't like something. Don't moan about it. Change it.
On my change page I'll be providing statistics on the changes that I achieve during my campaign to stop the use of the term 'digital native' in job adverts.