Abstract
The digital inequality literature has focused on the antecedents and effects of differentiated Internet use. The scientific and public policy relevance of the digital divide is based on the assumption that those who are able to effectively use the Internet might increase their social, economic, cultural, and human capital, and this could exacerbate social inequalities (DiMaggio et al., 2004). But individuals’ digital footprints—the sum of their digitally traceable behavior and online presence—can also lead to beneficial and adverse outcomes, short-term or long-term, individual or societal. What users do online matters; however, what is online about them also has consequences. Digital footprints entail results both in the sense of immediate gratifications (e.g., enjoyment) and of outcomes (e.g., finding a job). Digital divide scholarship should consider how online traces and their consequences vary according to socio-demographic variables and traditional markers of inequalities. From this premise, we develop the concept of “digital footprint gap,” suggest viable methods to investigate it, and reflect on action plans that could connect research, policy, and practice.
Büchi, Moritz