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Data Short // 08 Aug 2023

1 in 12 Texans have no internet access

More than 8% of Texas households lack internet, and another 14% only have access via smartphone, according to the U.S. Census.

Lack of access can limit educational resources and potential employment opportunities, contributing to an overall weakened state economy, said Professor S. Craig Watkins, who specializes in the equity implications of computer-mediated technologies at the University of Texas.

"Because increasingly, we live in a world in which the ability to use technology, computer mediated technologies more specifically, is now basically, it's just a fact of life," Watkins said. "It's not a convenience, it's not a luxury. In order to thrive in most employment sectors, in order to thrive in the educational sector, you must know how to use technology effectively and efficiently."

The digital divide is particularly acute in rural and low-income areas, according to the Texas State Teacher Association. The COVID pandemic brought the problem into sharper focus with schools going online and remote work requirements.

Haley McLeod is a journalism major at Texas State University and an intern for Texas Community Health News, a collaboration between the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the university's Translational Health Research Center. TCHN stories, reports and data visualizations are provided free to Texas newsrooms.

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<h1>1 in 12 Texans have no internet access </h1>

<p>
    More than 8% of Texas households lack internet, and another 14% only have
    access via smartphone, according to the U.S. Census.
</p>
<p>
    Lack of access can limit educational resources and  potential employment
    opportunities, contributing to an overall weakened state  economy, said
    Professor S. Craig Watkins, who specializes in the equity  implications of
    computer-mediated technologies at the University of Texas.
</p>

<div class="visualization_holder">
    <iframe title="1 in 12 Texas homes don't have internet." aria-label="Map" id="datawrapper-chart-8Ji9T" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/8Ji9T/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="782" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
    </script>
</div>
<p>
    "Because increasingly, we live in a world in which the  ability to use
    technology, computer mediated technologies more specifically, is  now
    basically, it's just a fact of life," Watkins said. "It's not a
    convenience, it's not a luxury. In order to thrive in most employment
    sectors,  in order to thrive in the educational sector, you must know how to
    use technology  effectively and efficiently."
</p>
<p>
    The digital divide is particularly acute in rural and  low-income areas,
    according to the <a href="https://publicpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Closing-the-Digital-Divide-for-Students-in-Texas.pdf">Texas State Teacher Association</a>.  The COVID pandemic brought the problem into sharper focus with schools
    going  online and remote work requirements.
</p>

<div class="visualization_holder">
    <iframe title="1 of every 7 households in Texas is below the poverty line." aria-label="Map" id="datawrapper-chart-P1p0a" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/P1p0a/4/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="782" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
    </script>
</div>

Haley  McLeod is a journalism major at Texas State University and an
        intern for <a href="http://texascommunityhealthnews.org/">Texas Community Health News</a>, a collaboration between the <a href="https://www.masscomm.txst.edu/">School of Journalism and Mass Communication</a> and the university's <a href="https://healthresearch.txst.edu/">Translational Health Research Center</a>. TCHN stories, reports and data visualizations are provided free to Texas newsrooms.
    </em>
</p>

<div class="text">
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<p>This article was <a href="http://www.texascommunityhealthnews.org/reports/2023/technology-gap.html">produced by Texas Community Health News</a>, a program of Texas State University’s Translational Health Research Center, in coordination with the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.</p>

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