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Have we finally bridged the digital divide? Smart phone and Internet use patterns by race and ethnicity

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  • Fairlie, Robert W

Abstract

Two decades ago an influential article documented the alarming disparities that existed in access to computers and the Internet between African-Americans and whites (Hoffman and Novak, 1998). Using the latest U.S. Census Bureau/Bureau of Labor Statistics data on computer and Internet access, I find that the “digital divide” has not been bridged and remains as large as it was two decades ago. African-Americans and Latino-Americans are less likely to use the Internet on smart phones, computer, tablets or other devices than are whites. A statistical decomposition analysis reveals that income and education inequalities are the leading causes of the disparities in access to technology. The findings have implications for policies that subsidize broadband to low-income families.

Suggested Citation

  • Fairlie, Robert W, 2017. "Have we finally bridged the digital divide? Smart phone and Internet use patterns by race and ethnicity," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt2591v2w7, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucscec:qt2591v2w7
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    1. Fairlie, Robert W, 1999. "The Absence of the African-American Owned Business: An Analysis of the Dynamics of Self-Employment," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 17(1), pages 80-108, January.
    2. Oaxaca, Ronald, 1973. "Male-Female Wage Differentials in Urban Labor Markets," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 14(3), pages 693-709, October.
    3. Alan S. Blinder, 1973. "Wage Discrimination: Reduced Form and Structural Estimates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 8(4), pages 436-455.
    4. Fairlie, Robert, 1999. "The Absence of the African-American Owned Business: An Analysis of the Dynamics of Self-Employment," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt84v8v0nr, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    5. Oaxaca, Ronald L. & Ransom, Michael R., 1994. "On discrimination and the decomposition of wage differentials," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 5-21, March.
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    2. Bauer, Anahid & Feir, Donn. L. & Gregg, Matthew T., 2022. "The tribal digital divide: Extent and Explanations," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9).
    3. Sarkar, Avijit & Pick, James B. & Rosales, Jessica, 2023. "Multivariate and geospatial analysis of technology utilization in US counties," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(7).
    4. Benjamin Skinner & Taylor Burtch & Hazel Levy, 2024. "Variation in Broadband Access Among Undergraduate Populations Across the United States," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 65(5), pages 827-870, August.

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