Poverty and Disconnectedness Go Hand in Hand, and This List Proves It [View all]

[eridani]

http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/09/21/worst-connected-cities?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2015-09-21

That one city should be both the poorest and the least-connected in America shouldn’t come as a surprise. From finding and applying for jobs to taking classes and doing homework to accessing mainstream commerce and political and civic information, more of the activities essential to economic livelihood take place online, and living without access puts low-income Americans at a serious disadvantage. It’s a necessary tool for getting ahead that just doesn’t fit into the budgets of millions of our neighbors, who can barely afford necessities such as food, rent, light, and heat. So, with each passing year, those neighbors are left farther behind.

By publishing two lists—one of the 25 worst-connected U.S. cities and the other of the 25 worst-connected cities among households with incomes of $35,000 or less—the NDIA hopes to draw attention to the issue.

“Many cities have 50 percent or more of households with annual incomes below $35,000 that are not connected at home,” Angela Siefer, director of the NDIA, told TakePart. “Those numbers are really incredible.”

Siefer cited three main barriers to increasing connectedness: cost, digital literacy skills, and relevance—the third of which is often overlooked. Many disconnected people whom members of the NDIA coalition contacted simply don’t believe Internet access is important or don’t understand how it will enrich their lives. Libraries and nonprofits are addressing this problem, coupling digital literacy training with helping students understand why it matters to them.

“If you show an elderly person how to download jazz videos or their favorite music, then you can transition to how they bank online,” Siefer said.