Barriers to Internet Access: Digital Inequality as Experienced by Residents of Low-Income Housing

• In Event: 338 - Section on Communication and Information Technologies Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06.

Abstract

This paper uses the 2012 Canadian Internet Use Survey and semi-structured interviews from 60 persons living in two low-income housing buildings in Ontario. We investigate differences in people’s access to the internet as well as the barriers to access that exist for those not online. This study not only provides a renewed look at the digital divide in Canada but also an in-depth look at why some individuals are not online. The findings demonstrate that internet use in Canada continues to reflect existing inequalities in society. Education, income, gender, rural/urban status and age all affect adoption patterns. The semi-structured interviews yielded considerable insight into the barriers to internet access that exist for those with low household incomes. Lack of skills, cost of the computer and cost of the monthly internet service were the top reasons why non-users were not online. Among both the offline and online population, the interviews suggested that social support is an important factor for internet uptake. These findings demonstrate that not only does the digital divide continue to exist, but there are significant economic, skill, and social barriers to access for those living in low-income housing.

Authors

• Michael Haight, University of Western Ontario

• Anabel Quan-Haase, University of Western Ontario

• Andrew Nevin, University of Western Ontario