Parents' reliance on the Web to find information about children and families: Socio-economic differences in use, skills and satisfaction

This research examines socio-economic status (SES) differences in parents' Web use, skills, and satisfaction. A total of 120 parents were interviewed about their use of the Web to find child and family information, and they provided feedback as they searched for information online. Findings indicate that the higher the SES level (a) the greater the use of the Web; (b) the more sophisticated the search skills (e.g., selecting one's own search engine rather than relying on a default; changing keywords); and (c) the greater the skills in evaluation (e.g., emphasizing the credibility of the sponsoring organization). In contrast to the digital divide in Web use and skills, there was no evidence of greater satisfaction among higher SES parents. These findings have implications for programs to assure that all parents have access to relevant and trustworthy online information pertaining to their children.