Who is ahead, who is getting by and who is left behind in the present-day information society

Abstract

In this research, Internet usage characteristics were researched among certain social groups in the Netherlands. Almost everyone in the Netherlands has access to the Internet. Two types of Internet use can be distinguished: informational and leisure Internet use. Especially informational Internet use causes an increase in financial, human, social and cultural capital. Internet use can thus lead to an increase in social and economic status, which will lead in social and economic inequalities in society when not everyone uses the Internet in the same way. This has been named the second digital divide by academics. The results of this research show which groups use the Internet in a capital-enhancing way and which groups do not. Those with a higher income, considered high status groups, used the Internet more for informational purposes than those with a lower income. Those with a higher education did not directly conduct more informational activities online. However, a higher education leads to a higher income which leads to an increase in informational Internet use. Contrary to what was assumed, females spend more time on informational Internet use than men. Younger people spend more time on informational use than their older counterparts. Residing in an urban area will lead to more informational Internet use. Furthermore, urbanity has a positive effect on education and income. This results in even more informational Internet use. Letting those with lower education and income become more acquainted with using the Internet for informational purposes might lead to a closure of the second digital divide and affect economic inequality in general. Encouraging females to keep spending time on informational Internet use might lead to a decrease in stereotypes, creating gender equality in different types of capital. Policies focusing on getting older people to get acquainted informational Internet activities could decrease the divide in capital between age groups. The results of this research can be used to influence who is ahead, who is getting by and who is left behind in the Dutch information society.