How low-income children use the internet at home

HomeNetToo is a longitudinal field study designed to examine home Internet use by low-income families in the United States. Participants were 140 children, mostly African American, whose Internet use was continuously and automatically recorded for one year. This article focuses on relationships between children's main computer activities, academic interests, career aspirations, social engagement, and their Internet use. Results indicated that children used their computers mainly to play games and search the Web. Using the computer to listen to music or to e-mail was related to greater Internet use whereas using it for schoolwork was related to less Internet use. Children whose academic interest was social science used the Internet more than children whose interest was mathematics or science. Children who aspired to careers in the professions or computing used the Internet more than did children who aspired to careers in sports, entertainment, or human services. Internet use was unrelated to social engagement. Academic performance could not explain relationships between main computer activity, academic interest, career aspirations, and Internet use. Implications for research on children's beliefs about the Internet and their influence on Internet and technology use are discussed.