Pew Internet: Use of digital technology by different income groups

Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

An overview of Pew Internet's recent national survey data, presented by Lee Rainie at a Capitol Hill conference in February. Check out the "under $30,000" numbers:

• 73% are Internet users (slide 2), but
• only  59% use email compared to 80%+ in all higher categories (slide 15), and
• only 47% have broadband at home compared to 70%+ in all higher categories (slide 3).
• 85% have cell phones but only 30% have smartphones (slides 4 and 5).

Interesting job search numbers starting with slide 10.

(The median household income in the city of Cleveland was $27,470 in 2011, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey.)

Ohio HB 2 forces unemployed to use state website. Suppose they can't?

A bill already passed by the Ohio House of Representatives, now awaiting hearings in the Senate, will require all of the state's Unemployment Compensation recipients to register and make regular use of the state's OhioMeansJobs.com website.  If you're laid off, but fail to get on line to sign up for the site, you won't be eligible for benefits.

Here's the Legislative Service Commission's summary of House Bill 2. 

The bill requires... an individual within six months after the bill's effective date to register with OhioMeansJobs (Ohio's electronic job placement system) through its web site maintained on the Internet... "Registration," for purposes of this requirement, includes the creation, electronic posting, and maintenance of an active, searchable resume.

The bill's low number reflects its status as a high priority for the General Assembly's Republican majority.

But what about the one-third of adults in the state's biggest county who don't have home broadband access -- including 68% of those with household incomes below $20,000, and 52% of those with no education past high school?

Good question.  Stay tuned.