Community Technology Centers: Bridging the Digital Divide of Race and Income

Although the number of Americans who have access to computers and the Internet has increased greatly in the last year, the "digital divide" between information and communication "haves" and "have-nots" is still growing. Hispanics for example, have witnessed growth rates for computer access of 68% (compared to 43% for the U.S. population as a whole), and 42% of Hispanic households are reported to have computers1. When race is combined with income, however, minorities continue to face significant gaps in technology access.Although the number of Americans who have access to computers and the Internet has increased greatly in the last year, the "digital divide" between information and communication "haves" and "have-nots" is still growing. Hispanics for example, have witnessed growth rates for computer access of 68% (compared to 43% for the U.S. population as a whole), and 42% of Hispanic households are reported to have computers1. When race is combined with income, however, minorities continue to face significant gaps in technology access. And though new users are those who have traditionally lacked access minority groups are closing divides within their own groups, they are doing so from smaller user bases.

The gaps in access for Americans, particularly at lower incomes, continue to widen.

 

  • In 1999, 74% of Asian-American households had some form of Internet access, compared to 50% of Hispanic, 46% of White and 35% of African-American households. The figures, however, also state that Asian-American households tend to include mostly younger, better-educated users, and that Hispanics mostly access the Internet at points away from home2.
  • While Hispanics and African-Americans together represent 1 in 5 American households; both groups combined only make up 1 out of 10 households that are both online and using the Internet3;
  • African American and Latino households are roughly one-third as likely as those of Asian/Pacific Islander descent to have Internet access, and two-fifths as likely as white households; Moreover, Whites are still roughly six times more likely to be using the Web than blacks in families earning less than $40,000 a year4;
  • The percentage of Native Americans/Aleuts/Eskimos and Asians/Pacific Islanders getting online is faster than that of African Americans and Latinos, yet in terms of actual numbers, the penetration of computers, as with basic technologies like telephones, remains limited in rural areas, due to geographical and infrastructure barriers;
  • The gap between computer access among African-Americans (54%) and whites (61%) earning over $75,000 has decreased. Comparatively, 17% of white families and 8% of African American families earning $15,000 to $35,000 per year had Internet access. This means that the Digital Divide among race is apparent over all income levels as well.In essence, any “Net gains” in access remain concentrated among middle-income and wealthy Americans;
  • More troubling is the growing disparity with respect to the basic access point for e-mail and the Internet: telephones. The gap between total telephone penetration rates in White and Hispanic households narrowed to 6.4% in 1998, with virtually no gap between the two groups at the $75,000+ income bracket. At lower income brackets under $15,000, however, the gap is disturbing, with penetration rates of 90% in White and Asian American compared to 82% for Hispanics households5. In essence, of the nearly 103 million American households, 6 million lack even basic telephone service.

Low-Income minorities want access to computers and the Internet.

Criticism of efforts to bridge the digital divide have suggested that disadvantaged persons are willing to buy television sets or cable television, but more reluctant to purchase computers and Internet access. Falling prices for computer and Internet access may allow more people to access the same tools as other connected Americans, regardless of race or ethnicity. This, however, is a long-term prospect with no promises.

Despite the availability of targeted low-cost computer purchasing programs for Hispanic households, there are still barriers to home computer and Internet access for minorities, due to lack of available credit, sales and support information, as well as general education training, and instruction (especially in languages of the purchasers) in order to understand the purchasing process and computer functions, and the benefits of technology literacy in our society.

The Internet is no longer only a source of information, communication, and entertainment, it is fast becoming a tool for self and economic-empowerment. Underserved communities are using information technology to look for employment, education, and training opportunities, as well as to utilize community information that addresses basic needs and encourages civic participation. Technology access and literacy are less a luxury than a necessity to participation and empowerment in our digital society.

Low-income minority persons need access to computers and the Internet.

The “digital divide” is not simply a matter of race. It is also a product of geography, income, and education. These factors of circumstance, however, fall disproportionately on people of color, especially income. Home access to technology is preferred, as the convenience and accessibility stimulate regular usage6. Home access, unfortunately, is not a reality for large numbers of Americans.

People without technology access are roughly 1.5 times more likely than home computer users to obtain Internet access through community technology centers. Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, and Hispanics are all more likely to access the Internet outside the home more often than Whites. While this enables more Americans to access technology, the quality of that access remains separate and unequal from that of a growing number of Americans.

Community Technology Centers (CTCs) work to close the digital divide.

Community Technology Centers (CTCs) provide workers, minority, low income, and other disenfranchised individuals with free or low-cost public access to the technology tools and services other connected Americans enjoy. These services include trainings that may enhance employment opportunities. Limited numbers of community technology centers are working to narrow the "digital divide" by meeting the technology needs of busy workers, minorities and underserved populations today.

In a recent survey7, 68% of Americans said the Internet is making life better for Americans, yet 45% of all adults feel that access to computers widens or narrows the gap in income and opportunity between the haves and the have-nots in our society; 54% think the use of computers has given people more control over their lives and 83% say computers are making life better for Americans; and 78% consider it important that the government help low income people get access to computers and the Internet. Federally funded research8 has demonstrated CTCs to be an effective community-based model in meeting this need.

Congress appropriated $32.5 million in FY 2000 to support CTCs. The Clinton Administration has proposed increasing the budget for CTCs in FY 2001 to $100 million. However, tight caps on discretionary spending may put CTC funding in jeopardy.

A coalition of organizations, including Alliance for Community Media, the Alliance for Technology Access, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, American Library Association, the Association for Community Networking, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Libraries for the Future, National Education Association, National Urban League, OMB Watch, and SeniorNet have come together to support CTCs, and encourage Congress to fund the program at $100 million in FY 2001. With expanded, consistent funding, more CTCs can be established, and existing ones can be strengthened and expanded.

NOTES

  1. Cheskin Research, "The Digital World of the US Hispanic, April 2000
  2. January 2000 Forrester Research survey of 100,000 U.S. households
  3. Figures cited, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration 1998 figures cited in "Falling Through The Net: A Report on the Telecommunications and Information Technology Gap In America," (July 1999)
  4. Sandy Lawrence Edry, "Bridging the Digital Divide." Newsweek, Weekend Edition (Feb 6-7, 1999) http://www.newsweek.com/nwsrv/issue/06_99a/tnw/today/cs/cs03fr_1.htm
  5. Jorge Reina Schement in Thorough Americans: Minorities and the New Media (The Aspen Institute, 1998)
  6. Ekaterina Walsh, "The Digital Melting Pot," Forrester Research (April 1999), based on a mail survey of 85,000 people conducted in December 1998 and January 1999.
  7. Poll conducted by National Public Radio, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government (February 2000)
  8. For more information, see:
    • "Impact of CTCNet Affiliates: Findings from a National Survey of Users of Community Technology Centers," Chow et al, July 1998, Education Development Center, Newton, MA, http://www.ctcnet.org/impact98.htm
    • "Community Technology Centers: Impact on Individual Participants and Their Communities," Mark et al, April 1997, EDC, Newton, MA, http://www.ctcnet.org/eval.html
    • "Losing Ground Bit by Bit: Low-Income Communities in the Information Age," Susan Goslee et al, Benton Foundation, June 1998, http://www.benton.org/Library/Low-Income

 

Funding CTCs Is The Right Thing To Do
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