Rankin has teamed with Vodafone UK for a photo campaign highlighting loneliness.
The celeb photographer - who has snapped the likes of Kate Moss, the late Queen Elizabeth and many others - created ‘Faces of Disconnection’ in collaboration with the tech company in response to data revealing 1.7 million UK households do not have access to the internet, a vital communication tool in the modern world, and the problem of “digital exclusion”.
The images - which seek to highlight the issue, which 47 per cent of the British population are not aware of - are available to everyone royalty-free, the first time Rankin has done this, through the website Pexels.
People featured explore a vast variety of experiences like not being able to afford internet due to the cost of living crisis, a Ukrainian refugee and people unsure how to safely navigate the world wide web.
The 56-year-old shutterbug said: “When Vodafone asked me to help them highlight the faces of digital exclusion, I knew that I had to help. It’s such an invisible issue so I wanted to use my skills to bring to life the stories of the people affected and help change perceptions. The images are based on real-life situations, and not only showcase those who can be affected by digital exclusion but also the feeling that disconnection brings – be that loneliness, frustration or isolation. I hope the series provides some much-needed insight , as with more awareness and understanding and support from businesses like Vodafone, we can fix the issue once and for all.”
Bosses at the comms giant marked highlighting the blight of not being “part of the digital world” on loneliness by throwing a star-studded bash in London with a guestlist of Emma Willis, Owen Warner and Seann Walsh.
Vodafone UK’s CEO Ahmed Essam said: “We have put tackling the digital divide at the heart of our business and I am pleased to say that we have now donated connectivity to a million people in need. I am also proud to say we are now extending our commitment to help a total of four million people cross the digital divide by 2025 through the provision of connectivity and technology, affordable and accessible products and digital skills.
“Connectivity is a key part of everyday life, and those who aren’t part of the digital world are sadly too often invisible. We hope these images help drive understanding of the breadth and implications of the issue, and encourage people to search Vodafone everyone.connected to find out more if they know someone who might need our help”.
