New research on how Seattle residents use technology shows that we have grown significantly in our use of information technology and city electronic services. The greatest growth in use of computers has been by low-income residents. However, there remains a significant digital divide in access and use by senior citizens, especially elderly women, and African Americans, low-income and low educated residents. The survey is a follow-up to the City of Seattle Community Technology Program’s 2000 Information Technology Indicators project. There is a treasure trove of information here for anyone working to provide residents with technology skills, educators, economic and community developers, businesses or online service providers. The survey looks at access and literacy, barriers and patterns of use, safety concerns, business use, neighborhood involvement and preferences for accessing government services. This year’s survey also examined use and community needs for cable television. These results are being used to help guide the city’s position in cable system refranchising with Comcast. The results are also informing the city’s community technology program, Seattle Channel and web services.

Here are a few tidbits from the survey. A longer summary and the full report is available at seattle.gov/tech/indicators.

The one-thousand household random telephone survey found that 83% of Seattle residents have computers at home, up from 76% in 2000. There wasn’t a big jump in users overall, but there was in computers at home. Roughly eighty-three percent of residents use the Internet. The percentage of broadband Internet subscribers has tripled since 2000 (from 18% to 55% of Internet households). The greatest gains in home computer and Internet access were in the lowest income households – but access and literacy are not yet equal across all of Seattle’s communities. Of the dimensions of the digital divide examined here, the age divide seems the most consistent, pervasive and unchanging.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Seattleites subscribe to cable TV. Cost of cable service is an issue for subscribers and non-subscribers alike (37% say they don’t subscribe because of the cost). About half of the respondents have watched SCAN, Seattle’s public access channel, and about 80% think it is important or very important for individuals and organizations to have the opportunity to create and show their own television programs.

There has been a large increase since 2000 in the percent of residents selling goods or services from home and more people are looking online for information about local businesses. Respondents with more education or more income, men, and people younger than 65 are more likely to look online for information about local businesses. For those younger than 36, the income differential disappears. African American respondents with less education are especially less likely to use the Internet for local business information.

Not surprisingly, younger respondents seem to lead the way in adopting new technologies and expressing interest in technology coming to the market that is not yet widely available, indicating that Seattleites are likely to continue to demand access to cutting edge technology into the future.

Recently, the City of Seattle passed the 500 mark in the number of community access computers across the city enjoying free high speed cable Internet service. Community access programs have been wired with broadband since 1997 when TCI, now Comcast, launched service at the Delridge Community Center. The free installation, cable modems and ongoing service has literally brought the world to Seattle and opened the door of opportunity and learning to thousands of residents of all colors, young and old. At Westwood Heights, the cable Internet provided by the City of Seattle changed the lab in a big way. "This place was dead without the Internet," coordinator Jacque Cook said. "Dialup was not an option. Without the cable connection, we had only about 10 people a month." Free broadband at seven senior centers provides seniors with easy access to health information.

Thirty public and subsidized housing communities across the city are teaching job and survival skills. Young people are doing their school work using connections provided at five alternative and two public schools as well as numerous other after-school sites. Eleven ethnic community centers and immigrant and refugee organizations provide family email lifelines and use broadband speed to teach both English and native languages. "The free Internet lets people read newspaper online in their own language. "It makes our lives a lot easier for filling out employment form and INS immigration forms," according to Minh Duc Nguyen at Helping Link.

The broadband service really provides a helping hand to community organizations and those in need. It allows small organizations high quality services they may not otherwise have and frees up other funds for direct service. Adult education, family support, communication for the disabled, homeless access to email, online arts resources are just a few of the uses at the other 25 human service organizations, nine community centers and seven neighborhood service centers enabled with cable broadband.

The lion's share of the cable broadband is being provided by Comcast to the City of Seattle through its cable franchise agreement, which runs until January 2006. Millenium Digital Media donates its CableSpeed service to five access sites plus Helping Link and the new International District Community Center, provided under franchise agreements. All these sites reach residents who may not be able to pay for high speed service at this time, but it introduces them to the time-saving benefits of broadband and spreads the word that broadband is the way to go. The City still has more free cable Internet connections available from Comcast for Seattle community organizations. Call 684-0600 to find out more or see www.seattle.gov/tech/freeinternet