ECONOMIC CONTEXTS OF DIFFERENCES IN DIGITAL EXCLUSION

In the 21st century, the problem of digital divide is more and more dynamic. Lack of access to digital technology is now the same exclusion as once slavery, lack of access to education or to work. The paper presents the results of research on the impact of belonging to a socio-economic group and income on a scale and diversity of the digital divide of Polish households in 2003–2015. Author’s digital divide indicator was used to assess the impact. In the analyzed period, the scale of digital divide is gradually decreasing, however, its level depends on the socio-economic group and the income. From all socio-economic groups only in the group of students the digital exclusion as marginal. However, the phenomenon of digital divide was the most noticeable among the groups of farmers, pensioners and retirees – almost 80% of people from these groups were excluded or at risk of digital divide. In the case of the second analyzed factor, the research has shown that with the increase in income, the scale of digital divide and its diversification were getting smaller.