Using census data from 2021 and 2024, Gonzales and Zhang found that in-home internet access and computer and smartphone use are all generally associated with internet benefits. “However,” Gonzales said, “we found that computer ownership seems to be the biggest determinant of beneficial internet use. We were surprised to see that the use of laptops and desktops was consistently the most important in shaping whether someone used the internet for healthcare, employment and government services.”
Generally, home computers are associated with “more serious” uses, such as bookkeeping, job searches and accessing healthcare portals, while smartphones tend to be more effective for texting, talking, social media, entertainment and navigation. This could have implications for households that only connect to the internet via smartphone.“
In the cases of homes that had smartphones but did not have internet access, smartphones were often negatively associated with use of the internet for healthcare or government services,” Gonzales said. “This is consistent with research that suggests that smartphone use may actually distract from more functional uses of the internet. We’re all familiar with the frustration of having to fill out forms or navigate complicated websites on a phone.”
Their research may also have ramifications at a policy level as lawmakers decide how to best fund access to technology, particularly in areas where households struggle financially. Funding programs have often focused on expanding and improving residential internet services without considering the variety of critical components, particularly subsidies for computers, Gonzales noted.
There is a reason that digital equity has long been a bipartisan issue.
