Digital Divide is Getting Wider

According to a new study by the Public Policy Institute of California, there are signs that the digital divide is widening for some groups, particularly Latino and low-income residents. These are among the key findings in a statewide survey released today by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in collaboration with the California Emerging Technology Fund.

Californians value access to the web: Nearly all Internet users (92%) say it is at least somewhat important in everyday life, and even 56 percent of those who don’t go online agree. But disparities in Californians’ use of technology reveal a digital divide: Residents who are white, black, or over age 55 have significantly increased their use of computers and the Internet since 2000, while Latinos, Asians, and low-income residents have not.

Read a summary of the findings or download the whole report by clicking here.

What the survey found

• Race/ethnicity: Just 4 in 10 Latinos have Internet access; about one-third (34 percent) have a broadband connection at home.
• Income: Among households with incomes under $40,000, 4 in 10 have home Internet access; a third (33 percent) have broadband.
• Region: Majorities in each region of the state say they have home computers and Internet access, but Los Angeles residents report lower rates of broadband connection (48 percent) than residents in the Bay Area (65 percent). Rural residents are somewhat less likely than urban residents to have an Internet connection (58 versus 63 percent).

Read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the study by clicking here.

Collective Roots weaves technology into many of its programs to help students become better prepared for their future education and employment. Our curriculum and programs focus on many aspects of science and art that intertwine with contemporary forms of digital media and information technology. Click here to read about some the creative ways Collective Roots employs technology to promote teaching and learning.

Collective Roots is an active member of the Community Technology Network, an organization based in the Bay Area whose mission involves providing support to individuals, organizations, and communities that suffer from the digital divide.