Movements in the Digital Divide

Abstract

I explore how the “Digital Divide” in the United States manifests during the period from 2000 to 2007. I find that the digital divide is decreasing with home computer and Internet use. But a new divide has emerged with high-speed Internet. Even though the income gap is closing with home computer use, the evidence suggests that an important income bottleneck is occurring at the computer acquisition level. Many never have the chance to adopt the Internet at home because they do not have a computer.