•  
  •  
 

Journal of Demography

Abstract

This research investigates the pervasive inequality in household internet access and use that contributes to the digital divide. As the internet becomes an integral part of daily life, variations in access and use carry significant implications for social and economic opportunities. A quantitative approach is applied, analyzing data from The National Statistical Office of Thailand to capture a comprehensive understanding of inequality in household internet access and use, as measured by the Gini coefficient. Five aspects of internet access and use are considered as the determinants of inequality, including internet connectivity, internet affordability, internet quality, device availability, and flexibility and convenience in connecting to the internet. The analysis further breaks down the data by residential area, socio-economic class, and income. The research found that households living outside the municipality face greater inequality in accessing and using the internet than those within the municipality. Households in the northern and northeastern regions face higher levels of inequality in internet access and use compared to other regions. Economically inactive households encounter extreme inequality. Regarding the inequality based on income, the finding can be concluded that households with lower average monthly incomes face an increase in inequality in internet utilization. A policy for relieving the inequality is suggested.

DOI

10.56808/2730-3934.1369

Download

Share

COinS