Home broadband adoption, computer ownership vary by race, ethnicity in the U.S.
Black and Hispanic Americans remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home.
Black and Hispanic Americans remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home.
The shares of Americans in each income tier who have home broadband or a smartphone have not significantly changed from 2019 to 2021.
Some 15% of all home broadband users in the U.S. say they have had trouble paying for their high-speed internet service during the pandemic.
Today, 25% of adults ages 65 and older report never going online, compared with much smaller shares of adults under the age of 65.
Some of Americans’ pandemic adaptations have relied on technology, including adults working from home and students learning online.
Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research at the Pew Research Center, presented this material on October 14, 2020 at a gathering sponsored by the International Institute of Communications. He described the most recent Center public opinion surveys since mid-March, covering the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, racial justice protests that began in the summer, and the final stages of the 2020 presidential election campaign.
38% of parents with children whose K-12 schools closed in the spring said that their child was likely to face digital obstacles in schoolwork.
Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say major tech companies favor the views of liberals over conservatives. At the same time, partisans differ on whether social media companies should flag inaccurate information on their platforms.
Two-thirds of parents in the U.S. say parenting is harder today than it was 20 years ago, with many citing technologies – like social media or smartphones – as a reason.
A majority of experts canvassed say significant reforms aimed at correcting problems in democratic institutions and representation will take place. But they are divided about whether this will lead to positive outcomes for the public.