Are we there yet? The persistent digital marginalization of remote rural communities: A mixed-method longitudinal study (2014–2023)

Abstract

Over the past decade, mobile internet access has been the main public policy approach for connecting rural areas in several countries. Although it has been a central policy, gaps remain in understanding the factors that predict connectivity among these communities. Evidence indicates that rural communities face unique challenges shaped by geographical and socioeconomic contexts, as well as accelerated digitalization due to COVID-19, reshaping access for many underserved areas. This study investigates how connectivity in marginalized rural communities has evolved over time in Chile. We conducted a mixed-method longitudinal study in rural towns across northern, central, and southern Chile, applying a relational and resource-based model for digital inclusion. We compared survey data and interviews collected in 2014–2015 and 2023. In particular, we explored data from 2014 to 2015 to analyze internet adoption levels through face-to-face surveys in 11 rural villages (N = 598) and in-depth interviews (N = 21) in three of them, revealing the importance of personal, social, and material resources for adoption. In 2023, we revisited the same communities (survey N = 449, interviews N = 15). Data comparison shows that while some predictors of Internet adoption became non-relevant over time, others, such as age and education, remain the strongest connectivity predictors. In addition, contextual factors—such as younger populations, generational expectations, and shifting attitudes and demands toward digital availability—contribute to persistent discourses of digital marginalization despite infrastructure improvements.