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Mobile Phones Bridging the Digital Divide for Teens in the US?

Author

Listed:
  • Katie Brown

    (Department of Communication Studies, The University of Michigan, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Scott W. Campbell

    (Department of Communication Studies, The University of Michigan, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Rich Ling

    (Department of Communication Studies, The University of Michigan, 105 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
    IT University of Copenhagen, Rued Lanngaarde Vej 7, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark)

Abstract

In 2009, just 27% of American teens with mobile phones reported using their devices to access the internet. However, teens from lower income families and minority teens were significantly more likely to use their phones to go online. Together, these surprising trends suggest a potential narrowing of the digital divide, offering internet access to those without other means of going online. This is an important move, as, in today’s society, internet access is central to active citizenship in general and teen citizenship in particular. Yet the cost of this move toward equal access is absorbed by those who can least afford it: Teenagers from low income households. Using survey and focus group data from a national study of “Teens and Mobile Phone Use” (released by Pew and the University of Michigan in 2010), this article helps identify and explain this and other emergent trends for teen use (as well as non-use) of the internet through mobile phones.

Suggested Citation

  • Katie Brown & Scott W. Campbell & Rich Ling, 2011. "Mobile Phones Bridging the Digital Divide for Teens in the US?," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jftint:v:3:y:2011:i:2:p:144-158:d:12382
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barrantes, Roxana & Galperin, Hernan, 2008. "Can the poor afford mobile telephony? Evidence from Latin America," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 521-530, September.
    2. Hilbert, Martin, 2010. "When is Cheap, Cheap Enough to Bridge the Digital Divide? Modeling Income Related Structural Challenges of Technology Diffusion in Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 756-770, May.
    3. Andreas Chai & Alessio Moneta, 2010. "Retrospectives: Engel Curves," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 24(1), pages 225-240, Winter.
    4. Rice, Ronald E. & Katz, James E., 0. "Comparing internet and mobile phone usage: digital divides of usage, adoption, and dropouts," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(8-9), pages 597-623, September.
    5. Wareham, Jonathan & Levy, Armando & Shi, Wei, 0. "Wireless diffusion and mobile computing: implications for the digital divide," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5-6), pages 439-457, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jason Farman, 2012. "Introduction to the Social Transformations from the Mobile Internet Special Issue," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 4(2), pages 1-6, May.

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