Digital Divide

Statement of Aaron Smith, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, on "Broadband Adoption: The Next Mile."

Aaron Smith, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, gave testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet.

Up from 25% last year, more than half of those in households earning $75,000 or more now have tablets. Up from 19% last year, 38% of those in upper-income households now have e-readers.

Aaron Smith discusses the Project’s latest research about internet usage, broadband adoption, and the impact of mobile connectivity among lower-income populations.

A breakdown of how internet users go online, including those with home access and the type of access, is shown in this table.

As of May 2013, 15% of American adults ages 18 and older do not use the internet or email. An additional 9% of adults use the internet but lack home access.

15% of American adults do not use the internet at all, and another 9% of adults use the internet but not at home.

Seven in ten American adults have a high-speed broadband connection at home. Another one in ten Americans lack home broadband but do own a smartphone.

In a survey of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers, a majority say digital tools encourage students to be more invested in their writing by encouraging personal expression and providing a wider audience for their work.

Session focused on identifying and using appropriate technologies to conduct research on low-income populations.