| Sumario: | This study focuses on how lack of digital access can impede progress in the lives of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) by investigating their concerns and issues surrounding accessing online information. The study employs and extends the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) by drawing on data from three previous studies, carried out in 2018, 2019 and 2020, to verify that digital access is key for the NEETs in accepting the use of technology to source information on online educational and employment opportunities. The findings point out that access to the digital world and digital skills remains a cause for concern in South Africa. The relevance of this article is in demonstrating the importance of access to web-based services that provide information for the NEETs who are actively seeking educational and work opportunities, since most information services systems have now migrated online. The article seeks to highlight that while the search, access and retrieval of information have been disrupted by recent digital and technological advances, this has failed to be accompanied by an understanding of how people have been affected by this transition. The research concludes that there is a necessity to strengthen the literature on UTAUT and support digital access for the NEETs. It is hoped that this article brings to light the realities and economic and structural challenges experienced by young people. Although based on South African data, the findings remain relevant to marginal or under-served regions of Europe with respect to access to the digital world.
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