Minorities' Views of the Internet
The recent American Internet User survey reported that of the 31million Americans using computers in 1997, 5 million of these were African-Americans. While this survey does support the fact that more Americans are realizing the value of having computer and Internet capabilities, it neglects to point out that 86% of these users are Caucasian and only 14% were minorities (blacks, Latinos, and Asians). However, it is very likely that those minorities accounted for in this study belong to a higher economic class since they can afford Information technology and have the education to use it. It is these two factors which have been named as the two most important factors that determine someone's access to the Internet.
Past research has found that of all sects of society, college students are the most likely to "surf the web." In universities, white students have surpassed their black peers in ownership of the computer technology to navigate on the Web from their own dormitory room. Even among students who did not own computers, the trend of blacks using the technology less than whites still proceeded, even when there was public access to computers. This peculiarity has led to the question that if blacks had equal access to the Internet then why weren't they using it?
Students were found not to fear computers, as they acknowledged that they used PC's for word processing and other data manipulations. Thus, student apprehension must stem from the World Wide Web. This is not to say that Caucasians do not have qualms about the information superhighway as well. All students have reported that they feel somewhat weary of conducting personal business on-line such as sending e-mail or buying airline tickets. Again while all races seemed doubtful about the Internet, only blacks reported fear of a connection between advanced technology and a governmental conspiracy to control the African-American community, and black females were more suspicious then black males.
Many theories have been offered for this trend of doubt. In the past when African Americans have given their faith more easily, they have been burned for their trust (e.g., government--sanctioned medical experiments or unfulfilled political promises) (Ervin, K.S., Gilmore, G., 1999).
However, a recent article by Kelly S. Ervin and Geoff Gilmore (1999) yielded some challenges to previous results. This study found that black college students are using computer technology as much as non-blacks. Also, blacks who did not own computers were actually more likely to use them than their white peers. These findings indicate that perhaps the racial divide theory of the World Wide Web needs to be rethought. Nearly 96% of all students in this study acknowledged that computers would be very important to their career, but nearly 1/2 of them did not feel that they possessed the necessary skills. Of all minorities, Asians were most likely to make use of Internet technology, then followed black students, and bringing up the rear were whites.
Other Student Links:
Main Student Page
Minorities' views
Classroom Experience
| Works Cited |
This project was produced for Psy 380, Social Psychology of Cyberspace,
Spring 2000, at Miami University. All
graphics in these pages are used with permission or under fair use guidelines, are in the
public domain, or were created by the authors. Last revised: This
document has been accessed times since 1 May 2000. Comments & Questions to R. Sherman
This project was produced for Psy 380, Social Psychology of Cyberspace,
Spring 2000, at Miami University. All
graphics in these pages are used with permission or under fair use guidelines, are in the
public domain, or were created by the authors. Last revised: This
document has been accessed times since 1 May 2000. Comments & Questions to R. Sherman