Participation, citizenship and internet use among South African youth

•This study examines pattern of Internet use among South African youth.•Data is from a survey of 1044 students from 10 universities in South Africa.•Findings show various inequalities influence Internet uses among the youth.•Types and cost of Internet access, income and other factors condition Internet use.•Experience of participation and citizenship is impeded by limited Internet uses.

A limitation of early studies on Internet penetration was the focus on physical access as sole measure of digital inequalities. Current studies explore a wide range of inequalities in patterns of use and skills. Through a survey of 1,044 university students in South Africa, this study examines the pattern of Internet use among these students, their various online activities and what these activities reveal about their use of the Internet to participate as citizens in society. Using a descriptive survey analysis method, this study reveals that various forms of inequalities influence Internet use among many young people: types of Internet access, condition of access, cost of access, family income, race, and geography influence patterns of Internet use. For many students, these forms of inequalities affect the frequency of use and the amount of online activities in which they engage. As a result, a full experience of participation and citizenship through digital means is compromised for many youth.