Poverty worsens age-based digital disparity

Astudy published at the Benton Foundation finds that financially disadvantaged elders are the least likely to use the Internet. The study, which expands on previous research on the age-based digital disparity, finds a strong relationship between Internet use and socioeconomic status.

Although the overall percent of older Americans using the Internet is increasing, there’s a growing divide within the demographic. According to thereport:

The digital divide between the least and most advantaged elders is even more pronounced when education and income are combined. Less than 22% of Americans age 65+ with family incomes below $20,000 and no better than a high school education are Internet users. In comparison, 89% of their age peers with incomes of $50,000 or more and some college education or better are Internet users.

Disadvantaged elders: Least likely to be online (Benton Foundation, May 12, 2015)