PewInternet.org
Use of digital technology by different income groups The current state of digital differences
Georgetown University Public Policy Forum – Cannon Caucus Room
February 22, 2013
Lee Rainie: Director, Pew Internet Project
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Lrainie
Internet users – 85% of adults December 2012
73%
90% 95% 99%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Broadband at home – 68% of adults December 2012
47%
71%
86% 89%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50k $5K-$75K Over $75K
Cell phones - 89% of adults January 2013
85% 89%
97% 97%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Smartphones - 47% of adults December 2012
30%
45%
58% 70%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Mobile internet access and its special role for
some
Access internet via phone % of cell owners September 2012
52% 51%
60%
71%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Mobile factoids
• 2-4% of poorer internet users ONLY access internet wirelessly
• 17% of cell owners of all classes do most of their online browsing on their phones
• Half (51%) of African-American cell internet users do most of their online browsing on their phone, double the proportion for whites (24%). Two in five Latino cell internet users (42%) also fall into the “cell-mostly” category.
Cell phones and internet access % of “cell internet” users and their main access
43%
32%
15% 19%
45%
54%
74% 72%
12% 10% 11% 9%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Mostly cell Mostly something else Both equally
Insights about online job searches by
household income
Online job searches May 2011 survey
20% 24%
27% 27%
63%
57%
63%
56%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
% all adults % internet users
How people seek help on jobs and finances April 2009
Poor are the least likely to say they access any common resources – 22% vs.15% of better off
$75K and above
-53% internet
-49% newspaper, mags, books
-46% TV, radio
-37% financial professional
-33% friends/family
-4% “other”
$30K and above
-46% newspaper, mags, books
-42% friends/family
-40% TV, radio
-27% internet
-15% financial professional
-7% “other”
Job resources at libraries
• Poorer people are more likely than the better off to say job resources at libraries are “very important” (75% vs. 57%)
• Among library computer users, poorer people are twice as likely as the better off to use library technology for job-search and applications (46% vs. 18%)
Other devices
Desktop or laptop - 78% of adults December 2012
59%
81% 89%
96%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Tablet- 31% of adults January 2013
26% 24% 30%
50%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Internet activities
Email – 76% of adults December 2012
59%
81% 88%
96%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Search engines % of internet users in February 2012
84%
93% 97% 95%
45%
54%
66%
76%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"
Health information in past 12 months % of internet users in September 2012
65% 71%
81% 80%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Use social networking sites – 54% of adults December 2012
48% 56% 60%
65%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Cell phone activities
Mobile pix % of cell owners September 2012
77% 83% 85%
90%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Texting % of cell owners September 2012
78% 78%
89% 90%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Use email via phone % of cell owners September 2012
39% 45%
56%
70%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Use social networking site on phone % of cell users in April 2012
38% 40%
48% 45%
25% 29%
36% 32%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"
Get news on phone % of cell users in April 2012
29% 31%
43%
53%
11%
19% 22%
33%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"
Do banking on phone % of cell users in September 2012
27% 31%
34% 35%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Get health information on phone % of cell users in April 2012
20%
23% 25%
32%
4% 3% 2%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"
Visit govt. website on phone % of cell users in April 2012
15% 14%
22% 21%
3% 2% 4% 4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Ever "Yesterday"
Other social media
Social media – Twitter % of internet users in January 2013
16% 16% 14%
17%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Social media – LinkedIn % of internet users August 2012
7%
20% 24%
34%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Social media – Pinterest % of internet users December 2012
10%
15%
23%
18%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Social media – Instagram % of internet users December 2012
15% 14%
12% 12%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Social media – Tumblr % of internet users December 2012
6%
3%
5%
8%
0%
5%
10%
15%
Under $30K $30K-$50K $50K-$75K Over $75K
Thank you!
