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: Lrainie@pewinternet.org

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!