Solving the Persistent Problem of the Digital Divide
Introduction This year, Congress will look again at the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and consider rules related to universal service and the transition to digital television. These rules will determine whether all Americans have access to and can afford high-speed, high-quality communications services, including the Internet. Though many Americans have taken these services for granted in the past, Hurricane Katrina demonstrates that a robust and accessible information infrastructure is not only vital to the educational and economic life of our nation, it is critical in emergencies as well.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, it is no longer possible for the "haves" to ignore the plight of the "have-nots" and the disparities of poverty and race that many in the civil rights community have worked to end. As Congress decides the future of our telecommunications infrastructure, the Leadership Conference believes closing the persistent digital divide should be a priority.
Despite recent reports to the contrary, the digital divide is large and does not appear to be disappearing soon. Blacks and Latinos are much less likely to have access to home computers than are white, non-Latinos (50.6 and 48.7 percent compared to 74.6 percent). They are also less likely to have Internet access at home (40.5 and 38.1 percent compared to 67.3 percent). Native Americans also have lower rates of access (51.6 and 40.9 percent).
Income differences are partly, but not entirely responsible for ethnic and racial disparities in computer and Internet access. Even among individuals with family incomes of at least $60,000, blacks and Latinos are substantially less likely to own a computer or have Internet access at home than are whites. Language is also an important determinant of computer ownership and Internet use even after controlling for education, family income and immigrant status. Spanish-speaking Latinos, especially Mexicans, have strikingly low rates of computer ownership and home Internet use.
In short, too many Americans still do not have access to computers and Internet service in the home. In the places where homework is done, where job searches are conducted, where information about health care and political information is sought, there are still too many Americans who are not able to participate in this digital age.
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