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Commerce Department Report Shows Growing Digital DivideA new report from the U.S. Commerce Department reveals that the "digital divide" between races is widening. "Falling through the Net II," the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's second report on connectivity, found that around 41% of white families own a computer, compared to just 19% of black and Hispanic families. The gap exists even among upper-income families of different races: 76% of white families with incomes above $75,000 own computers, compared with 64% of black families. The survey of 48,000 families also found that people living in rural areas at the lowest income levels are the least likely to own PCs, and that single-parent, female households also lag behind the national average. "These findings underscore the importance of programs such as NTIA's Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program and the e-rate," noted Assistant Commerce Secretary Larry Irving. "Both reach out to communities that lack electronic resources at home by making electronic services available in schools, libraries, community centers, and other public resources." Posted August 3, 1998. |
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