Wire More Americans, Consumer Study Says

Simone Kaplan, Medill News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- It's going to take serious spending by the federal government to bridge the digital divide that separates tech-savvy Americans who can access the Internet's resources from those who do not, a consumer group says.

The digital gap places millions of "disconnected" Americans at a disadvantage in an increasingly digital society, according to a report released this week by the Consumer Federation of America and Consumer's Union. Unless policy measures are put in place to close the digital divide, the rift will become more marked as the Internet becomes important, the report says.

"The digital divide is an important policy issue because the Internet has already become a significant means of communications and commerce in society," says Mark Cooper, CFA director of research and the report's author. "Not being active in cyberspace cuts people off from civic activities that we often say make someone a good citizen."

Four Degrees of Net Savvy

The report details a national survey of more than 1900 respondents, who fall into four categories:

• Fully connected: 36 percent. They report having an Internet service provider or high-speed Internet access at home.
• Partially connected: 17 percent. They have basic Internet or e-mail service at home.
• Potentially connected: 21 percent. They lack Internet service at home but own a PC or a cell phone.
• Disconnected: 26 percent. They have no cell phone, Internet service, or PC.

Not surprisingly, those without a connection are likely to be older, minority, or low income. The average income of fully wired respondents is $45,000, while the average of the disconnected is $25,500. Forty-six percent of those fully or partially connected have at least a college degree, while only 13 percent of potentially or disconnected have a degree. In terms of age and racial orientation, 7 percent of the fully connected say they are black, compared with 12 percent of the disconnected. The average age of the fully connected is 44 compared to 53 for the disconnected.

Tech Skills Important, Survey Respondents Say

Most Americans without Internet access are well aware of the benefits of technology, the report says.

The survey's respondents expressed a belief that technical skills are becoming crucial. Of respondents without Internet access, 93 percent say they believe computer skills are vital, 83 percent say understanding technology is crucial to success, and 84 percent believe children learn more when they have access to technology.

"The disconnected are not deprived because of a lack of understanding," Cooper says. "They know it's important."

Even those with Internet access recognize the digital divide as a potentially devastating problem. Two-thirds of the 1900 respondents say they are concerned that technological progress could increase the gap between rich and poor, while 57 percent say they are afraid of being left behind by the "information revolution."

Americans without Internet access have less confidence in their ability to use technology than those who do, the report finds. Only 21 percent of the disconnected say they consider themselves computer savvy, compared to 57 percent of the fully connected. Half of the disconnected say they don't know what the Internet is or how it could improve their lives, and two-thirds say the Internet is too expensive for them.

Crafting Programs to Close the Gap

Finding ways for the have-nots to obtain technical skills is crucial to bridging the gap, Cooper says.

"We need to convey the skills to people so they can learn to use the technology," he says. "We need to create a framework in which those skills can be used, and we need to get the resources in order to bring technology into the homes of those who don't have it."

Congress should pass legislation that sends money to people who need it, rather than to corporations looking for tax breaks, CFA officials suggest.

"We don't need to subsidize corporations for investments they should be making anyway," says Gene Kimmelman, codirector of the CFA's Washington office. "We need to direct tax dollars to the people who can't afford technology." (See "New Deal Gives New Life to Geriatric PCs.")

The CFA plans to ask Congress to redirect resources to people-oriented programs, though Kimmelman doubts anything will be accomplished before Congress adjourns next week. He referred to the Broadband Internet Access Act, currently before Congress, as a "misguided" example of legislation that doesn't address the digital divide. The act offers economic incentives to telecommunications carriers in order to spur investment in DSL technology.

"The end of Congress is a silly season when we rarely get a chance to get good things done," Kimmelman says. "I'd say we intend to prevent any ineffective things from happening rather than starting something new in the time we have left."