About DERC

Translating data into digital justice.

We are an independent, multidisciplinary applied research institute. Our mission is to dismantle the structural barriers that prevent marginalized communities from participating in the modern digital economy.

The origins of our methodology.

Technology policy is often drafted in sterile environments, disconnected from the lived realities of the people it is meant to serve. DERC was created to bridge that exact gap.

The Digital Equity Research Center (DERC) was initially established as an exploratory project within the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO). In its early days, the focus was highly localized—understanding how anchor institutions like public libraries serve as the de facto IT departments for communities lacking home broadband access.

However, as the global economy rapidly digitized, it became clear that “Digital Equity” was no longer just about providing a Wi-Fi hotspot in a community center. It was about algorithmic governance, cloud compute sovereignty, fintech exclusion, and the automation of the workforce. The scope of the problem had expanded, and so did our mandate.

Today, DERC operates as an independent, global policy initiative. We partner with federal task forces, international economic forums, and local grassroots organizations to deploy our proprietary DEEM (Digital Equity Ecosystems Measurement) framework. We audit automated systems, track federal grant efficacy, and ensure that the digital future is designed with Public Interest Technology at its core.

The Tool of Accountability

What is the DEEM Framework?

If you cannot measure equity, you cannot enforce it. The Digital Equity Ecosystems Measurement (DEEM) framework is our proprietary diagnostic tool. Rather than evaluating a single metric—such as whether a city has laid fiber-optic cables—DEEM assesses the holistic health of a community. It measures the robustness of local tech-support non-profits, the affordability of ISP contracts, the accessibility of civic tech platforms, and the algorithmic fairness of local government services. By utilizing DEEM, we give policymakers a quantifiable map of where digital justice is failing, allowing them to route multi-million dollar infrastructure and AI-upskilling grants exactly where they will have the highest human impact.

Our Epistemological Approach

Applied, Not Theoretical

Theoretical research is excellent at identifying societal problems, but applied research builds the blueprints for solutions. We are strictly committed to generating empirical findings that can be immediately translated into drafted legislation or direct community interventions.

Participatory Action

We do not treat communities as mere subjects of observation. Through Participatory Action Research (PAR), we train and deploy community members as co-investigators, ensuring our data captures the lived reality of marginalized populations without extractive practices.

Radical Independence

We are not lobbyists for the telecommunications industry, nor do we operate as an arm of the federal government. Our independence allows us to audit public infrastructure plans and private AI deployments with uncompromising, objective rigor.

The Digital Equity Research Center (DERC) is an independent institute investigating the socio-technical infrastructure of the public interest. Originally founded at the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO), DERC now functions as a global resource for evidence-based digital inclusion and algorithmic accountability. We bridge the gap between complex technical systems and human outcomes through our proprietary DEEM evaluation framework. © 2026 Digital Equity Research Center. All rights reserved. Not affiliated with any federal government agency.