• digital society
• digital economy
• small areas

The Internet has performed an essential part during the current pandemic situation, in which employees could work remotely, and the entire school system moved online, allowing academic institutions to keep providing their services. This challenging time has shed light on how, in general, essential mastering the Internet tools is and on the importance of digitalisation in education. However, during this situation, some issues have been raised, especially for vulnerable and disadvantaged people. To what extent education, many students lacked proper learning due to the scarce availability of devices for connecting and being connected online: some families could not economically allow them or did not have sufficient ones either did not have an internet connection or a proper one. Simultaneously, other people were cut off by some services and online social life because of the lack of digital competencies. Therefore, it has been highlighted that the availability of the Internet (intended as a resource) is prevented for people not having the supposed devices to be 'connected' and for those who do not possess the required digital skills. Consequently, people not accessing the Internet, who live in a world characterised by a fast-paced adjustment to online, are excluded by many aspects of social life.
The thesis analyses the indicators on digital economy and society, deepening the analysis at small area level. In particular, borrowing strength from the composition of DESI index, some key aspects of digital daily life are investigated.