Americans and Access to the Internet

Critics of the internet as a benefit to democracy are quick to point out this whole notion around accessability.  It's the basic argument that this is a benefit for the rich and creates a disadvantage for the poor. In my opinion, this is a very simple and weak argument and the articles we reviewed this week failed to support this argument with any relevant facts or statistics.  Of course not everyone in this country can afford to have a computer in their home but this certainly doesn't mean they don't have access to the internet through other means (work, public libraries, smart phones, etc) if they truly had a need or want to access the internet.  I would argue that the problem is not the access to the internet but rather the lack of motivation to use it for educational purposes.  And I put a great deal of blame on the structure of mainstream media for this lack of motivation.

According to data provided by Nielson Online, in 2011 approximately 273.1 million (almost 78.6%) of the population used the internet and that number is on the rise. That remaining population who didn't use it aren't necessarily those that cannot afford it.  There is a whole population of senior citizens who avoid technology all together so for them not accessing the internet is a choice rather than a disadvantage.  Additionally just because someone has access to the internet doesn't mean they use it for eduactional purposes or to participate in political discussions.  Using the internet as a first resort for information is not the norm, typically an individual sees or hears something that sparks their interest and leads them to the internet for more information.  I believe that it's the responsibility of mainstream outlets such as newspapers and television to spark viewers' interest by providing enough information from both sides to entice that viewer to want to learn more.  Instead media today  with its fragmented, biased reporting, fails to create interest in politics let alone motivate individuals to go out and obtain more information on their own.  This is the reason why more and more people aren't participating in the public sphere the internet has created, not because they can't afford the internet at home.

So it's very easy to use the accessability theory and the rich vs. the poor as a scapegoat for why people don't participate in political discussions on the internet but the truth of the matter is that even those who have access aren't motivated to use it to engage in political discussions.  There was an article last week in the Sun Times about Chicago's plan to increase internet access in low income neighborhoods and provide additional sources of public places with internet access. If implemented, it will be interesting whether or not we see an increased participation in the public sphere and polical activity.  Unless we change the structure of mainstream media, I doubt that more access to the internet will result in more engaged citizen.  If that's the case, it will be interesting to see what these same critics will have to say.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/15350928-418/emanuel-aims-to-bring-internet-access-to-chicago-parks-underserved-neighborhoods.html