17 Digital Divide and Socioeconomics

Learning Objective

Understand how socioeconomic factors—such as income, education, and employment—affect the digital divide. By assessing the factors present in their communities, librarians are better able to tailor programs and services to their patrons.

What is Socioeconomics and the Digital Divide?

The digital divide is the uneven access, affordability, and technology literacy for an individual or people of a specific group (Computers for Community, 2022). This imbalance can be due to social and/or geographical aspects. In this chapter, we will discuss the effects of socioeconomics on the digital divide. Socioeconomics compares one’s position in a community based on income, education, and employment (See Figure 1).

The Problem with Accessibility and Affordability

Socioeconomic status has the ability to influence technology access. Rural households or communities in impoverished areas face barriers when it comes to accessibility of technology (See Chapter 16). Local libraries in smaller, rural communities may not have the funding to provide adequate technology for patrons’ needs. Lack of access to technology can greatly limit a household or community’s ability to obtain employment opportunities, health information, and other essential resources.

These limitations also apply to urban and suburban areas, where technology is typically more readily available, but could still be inaccessible to some. People living in urban or suburban areas often have the resources available to access technology, however, due to lower incomes or lack of employment these groups are not able to afford internet or other services. This can negatively affect their opportunities for higher-paying jobs or remote job possibilities. These factors can all contribute to one’s socioeconomic status (SES) and create a digital divide.

In July 2024, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) approved using e-rate funding for hotspots and service contracts for libraries and schools. This ruling will allow more libraries to purchase hotspots for their patrons for home use, making broadband internet more accessible to individuals with lower incomes, especially in rural areas where internet service providers don’t always reach. Some companies, such as T-Mobile and UScellular, offer hotspot devices and service contracts for as little as $25 per month per device to community libraries, easing the financial barrier for libraries seeking to bridge the accessibility and affordability divide on a local level.

The Problem with Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is the skill set needed to access and effectively use technology to complete tasks. As communities and schools strive to create more accessibility to technology, this highlights the problem of having the technology but not having the skill set to use it. Lev-On, Steinfeld, Abu-Kishk, & Pearl Naim (2021) found that there “is a significant social value in reducing digital inequality by increasing digital literacy of disadvantaged populations, i.e. citizens with low socioeconomic status and low digital literacy” (p. 146). This demonstrates the value of closing the digital divide and how people with a lower SES could be positively impacted.

Library systems can help bridge this divide by meeting patrons where they are and assessing the needs of their community in order to offer the technology and tech support most needed by their patrons. The Fulton County Library System in Atlanta, Georgia makes these services a priority, offering computer and Wi-Fi access, circulating Chromebooks to take home for a certain amount of time, and mobilizing their library resources through their “innovation stations” that bring library resources to communities who may have difficulty in traveling to the library. To supplement this greater access, the Fulton County Library System offers classes ranging in technology complexity from “Email for Beginners” to “Step into the Future: Virtual Reality Program,” addressing the vastness of the digital literacy spectrum in their region.

Statistics on Low Socioeconomic Status and Technology Ownership

Studies on the correlation between low socioeconomic status and digital inequality have found many substantial links. A Carnegie Corporation of New York study found that 65% of students and their families who identify as part of a lower SES are negatively impacted by their inability to access a computer (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2021). This lack of computer access can prevent students from the educational opportunities needed to succeed. Pew Research Center also identified the correlation between income level and technology ownership, finding that in every category, individuals of the lowest income bracket also owned the least amount of technology (See Figure 4).

Three years after this study, Pew Research Center’s 2024 survey also found that, while Americans in the lowest income bracket (>$30,000/year) are least likely to own a smartphone, they are also the most likely of any socioeconomic group to be smartphone dependent (Gelles-Watnick, 2024). This results in individuals with lower SES being more likely to use smartphones for tasks traditionally reserved for larger screens, like job applications, schoolwork, health forms, etc. (Vogels, 2020).

Other Resources for Library Staff

The State Library of Iowa has digital literacy training for library staff members, including their continuing education video “We’re All Tech Librarians: Digital Literacy” on YouTube. These programs and other digital learning opportunities, for both library users and staff members, are continuing to close the gap in digital literacy and accessibility. The ALA also frequently publishes news related to digital equity, and occasionally compiles resources within its “Digital Literacy Task Force” for libraries seeking to close the divide. All of these resources are recommended for library staff to stay in the know, educated, and equipped to confront the socioeconomic component to the digital divide.

Key Takeaways

Socioeconomic conditions affect individuals’ ability to access and use digital technologies. By providing public access to devices, connectivity, and instruction, libraries help reduce practical barriers to digital participation.