A new Pew Internet survey confirms some obvious assumptions as well as some not so obvious ones about differences in how the Net is used by those with more money and those with less.

For example, U.S. households with an income of $75K tend to have faster connections and more Net devices. But also:

• “Even among those who use the internet, the well off are more likely than those with less income to use technology.”

• The richer are more likely to get their news online.

• “Some 86% of internet users in higher-income households go online daily, compared with 54% in the lowest income bracket.”

• “79% of the internet users in the higher earning bracket have visited a government website at the local, state or federal level versus 56% of those who fall into the lowest-income group”

Obviously, there may well be other correlations going on here. But it’s an interesting report, and one that confirms for those who need it that the Net is different depending on the circumstances within which it is embedded.

Categories: culture dw