Expanding digital access is often framed as an infrastructure problem — lay enough cable, distribute enough devices, and the gap closes. Haroldo Jacobovicz pushes back on that framing. The founder of Arlequim Technologies has spent decades working at the intersection of access and inclusion in Brazil, and his experience points to a more complicated picture.
Physical infrastructure matters, but it does not operate in isolation. Even with a working device and a stable connection, people face barriers that go unaddressed in most policy discussions. Jacobovicz identifies self-doubt as one of the most persistent. A significant number of people feel intimidated by technology before they have even tried it — convinced they will make a mistake, break something, or expose themselves as unsophisticated. That psychological resistance can be as limiting as the absence of hardware.
Language adds another layer. The way technology communicates — through error messages, interfaces, and documentation — tends to assume a level of prior familiarity that many new users simply do not have. When instructions are dense with jargon, or when interfaces offer no meaningful explanation for what has gone wrong, people disengage. The problem is not their capacity; it is the design.
Trust is a third dimension. People who have experienced predatory practices online — scams, data exploitation, exposure to inappropriate content — approach digital services with caution that others take for granted. Rebuilding that trust requires demonstrating that digital tools can be safe and beneficial, not just capable.
Addressing these barriers requires, as Jacobovicz describes it, empathy in design. Solutions need to reflect how different people actually experience technology, including those who encounter it for the first time late in life, those with limited formal education, and those who have previously been burned by it. That means designing for patience and psychological accessibility, not just technical performance.
His broader framework for access includes what he calls a continuum of support. Getting someone connected and oriented is the beginning, but the critical period comes afterward — when they encounter their first error, accidentally lose work, or simply do not know what to do next. Without support at that moment, people give up. With it, they build confidence. Eventually, many become the ones helping others.
That progression — from uncertain beginner to capable participant, and ultimately to someone who contributes to a community of users — is what Jacobovicz considers genuine digital integration. Infrastructure is a prerequisite, but it is the human dimension of access that determines whether technology actually changes lives.