Examining the second level of the digital divide through the lens of Digital Capital

Abstract: 

This article investigates the interaction between personal levels of digital capital and inequalities in Internet use, known as the second level of the digital divide. Data collected in the UK through an online survey of a national representative sample (868 respondents), shows that levels of digital capital and the type and quality of online activities are intertwined. We used a holistic variable (digital capital), conceived and measured as a specific capital, and which includes a number of aspects related to both digital competencies and digital devices, to shed light on the second level of the digital divide. The analysis shows that digital capital is intertwined with the frequency/intensity of social, economic/financial means, ordinary/daily and entertainment activities, but not with learning-related activities.