Some digital divides persist between rural, urban and suburban America
Rural adults are less likely than suburban adults to have home broadband and less likely than urban adults to own a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Rural adults are less likely than suburban adults to have home broadband and less likely than urban adults to own a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Black and Hispanic Americans remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home.
Experts are split about the likely evolution of a truly immersive “metaverse.” They expect that augmented- and mixed-reality enhancements will become more useful in people’s daily lives. Many worry that current online problems may be magnified if Web3 development is led by those who built today’s dominant web platforms.
The next two sections of this report include hundreds of additional comments from experts, organized under the six most common themes in these experts’ responses. The remarks of many of the experts already quoted in the earlier pages of this report also tie into these themes. This section covers the three themes that emerged among […]
The digital divide between Americans who have a disability and Americans who do not remains for some devices.
The shares of Americans in each income tier who have home broadband or a smartphone have not significantly changed from 2019 to 2021.
Smartphone ownership and home broadband adoption are up slightly since 2019. And 30% of Americans say they at least sometimes experience problems connecting to the internet at home.
Nine-in-ten Americans say the internet has been essential or important to them, many made video calls and 40% used technology in new ways. But while tech was a lifeline for some, others faced struggles.
Some 15% of all home broadband users in the U.S. say they have had trouble paying for their high-speed internet service during the pandemic.
As the pandemic unfolded in spring 2020, many Americans saw their lives swiftly reshaped by stay-at-home orders, school closures and the onset of remote work. From video calls with isolating or sick family members to holiday celebrations by video call amid canceled travel plans, social distancing recommendations altered major life events and elements of daily life alike. Technology bridged physical distance as restrictions […]
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