What are the characteristics of people who are more likely to be online?

Week Eight-Defining the digital divide

What are the characteristics of people who are more likely to be online?

Income, Occupation, Education, Gender, and Generation are all explored in the article "Social Inequalities" by Pippa Norris.

The following are general characteristics from the article of people who are more likely to be online than others:

-Households with higher incomes are more likely to be online than those with lower incomes. "Falling Through the Net," a study that explored these characteristics, found that income was the strongest predictor of Internet access in America. The comparison between technologically advanced societies verses technologically lagging societies offers no support for the normalization thesis and that we should "not expect the income gap to close automatically as the Internet diffuses more widely throughout society.

(Pg. 79)

-Individuals who work in professional or managerial positions are "twice as likely to use the Internet as those in other white collar jobs." However, the authors note that occupational status may become less important as Internet access becomes more widely available.

(Pg. 81)

-One study suggests that "education was a stronger determinant of connectivity in America than any other demographic or social variable." This is probably more or less true because schools and colleges provide individuals with unparalleled opportunities for accessing technologies. Also, education improves overall literacy in students, ultimately allowing them to better utilize the Internet.

(Pg. 81)

-Evidence about the gender gap remains inconclusive. It’s the weakest predictor of Internet use among all the factors considered. It’s becoming statistically insignificant.

(Pg. 82)

-The generational gap will begin to flatten as more and more people are raised in the technological era.

(Pg. 84)

Additional Info:

**"The European evidence indicates a growing digital divide between the information-rich and poor during the emergent Internet era, in addition to the widening north-south global disparities documented in the previous chapter with no evidence to date that these gaps are starting to close or normalize in leading societies."**

-A quote from Pg. 86