Socioeconomic or marital status? Factors driving digital inequality among single and married mothers – findings of a repeated cross-sectional study, 2014–2019

Abstract

Using data from large scale Annual Social Surveys of the CBS in Israel, the current research focused on patterns of digital inequality among Israeli mothers between 2014 and 2019. The main purpose of the current study was to investigate digital inequality among mothers based on their marital status when controlling for their socioeconomic status (SES) and to clarify whether the patterns of digital inequality are stable or changeable over time. Among both single and married mothers the highest adoption rates were found for seeking information and social media, while internet use for study and e-government services were the lowest. Digital inequality among mothers is best explained by social class, rather than by the difficulties and restrictions of single motherhood. Both groups of mothers were consistent in their pace of digital use adoption over time, so if effective intervention strategies are not introduced, between-group gaps will continue to exist. Policymakers' implementation of our specific recommendations may produce beneficial effects for the promotion of Internet use among single mothers.