The 2008 Broadband Improvement Act mandated the collection of data about computer and internet use. As a result, three questions were added to the 2013 American Community Survey (ACS) to measure these topics. Data about computer and internet use were derived from answers to Question 8, Question 9, and Question 10 on the 2018 ACS, and are asked of all occupied housing units.

The computer use question (Question 8) asked if anyone in the household owned or used a computer and included four response categories for a desktop or laptop, a smartphone, a tablet or other portable wireless computer, and some other type of computer. Respondents selected a checkbox for "Yes" or "No" for each response category. Respondents could select all categories that applied.

Respondents who checked "Yes" for the some other type of computer category are asked to write in descriptions of their other computer type(s). These are mostly used for internal purposes and to verify whether the household has some other type of computer, although some people may write in a type of computer that can be reclassified as a desktop or laptop, a smartphone, or a tablet or other portable wireless computer. Question 9 asked if any member of the household has access to the internet. "Access" refers to whether or not someone in the household uses or can connect to the internet, regardless of whether or not they pay for the service. Respondents were to select only ONE of the following choices:

Yes, by paying a cell phone company or Internet service provider- This category includes housing units where someone pays to access the internet through a service such as a data plan for a smartphone; a broadband internet service such as cable, fiber optic or DSL; satellite; dial-up; or other type of service. This will normally refer to a service that someone is billed for directly for internet alone or sometimes as part of a bundle. Yes, without paying a cell phone company or Internet service provider- Some respondents may live in a city or town that provides free internet service for their residents. In addition, some colleges or universities provide internet service. These are examples of cases where respondents may be able to access the internet without a subscription.

No access to the Internet at this house, apartment, or mobile home- This category includes housing units where no one can connect to or uses the internet using a paid service or any free service.

If a respondent answers "Yes, by paying a cell phone company or Internet service provider" to Question 9, they are asked to select the type of internet service in Question 10. Respondents select a checkbox for "Yes" or "No" for each of five types of service:

a.) cellular data plan for a smartphone or other mobile device,

b.) broadband (high speed) Internet service such as cable, fiber optic, or DSL,

c.) satellite,

d.) dial-up or

e.) some other service.

Respondents could select "Yes" for all categories that apply. If a respondent selected "Yes" to the "some other service" category, they are asked to write in a description of the type of internet service. These codes are primarily used internally and to verify whether the household has some other service, although some people may write in a type of internet service that can be reclassified into one of the other categories such as broadband or satellite service.

These data are used by a variety of government agencies, local communities, and other data users. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) use these statistics to measure the nationwide development of broadband access, as well as the successful deployment of the next generation of broadband technology. These data also allow the FCC to develop measures to increase access to broadband technology and decrease barriers.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) use these data to provide grants that help expand public access to broadband service and fund broadband education and support, particularly to groups that have traditionally underutilized broadband technology.

State and local governments can use these data to evaluate access to broadband in their communities, and institute policies and programs to increase access for areas with less connectivity. Businesses and non-profits can use these statistics to analyze computer and internet usage in their communities.

Question/Concept History - The computer and internet use questions were added to the ACS in 2013 and were mandated by the 2008 Broadband Improvement Act. In 2016, questions 8 (computer use) and 10 (type of internet service) were revised to improve the measurement of internet subscriptions and cellular data planes, as well as adjusting response categories for types of computers to account for changes in the types of computers available and the terminology used to describe them.

Limitation of the Data - These questions are not asked for the group quarters population, so do not include data about people living in housing such as dorms, prisons, nursing homes, etc.

Comparability - Data prior to 2013 are not available because 2013 was the first year that these questions were collected using the ACS. For more information, go to http://www.census.gov and enter "Comparing ACS Data" in the search box.

Caution should be used when comparing pre-2016 estimates due to question revisions. Observed changes may be due to the revised wording used in the questions and improved measurement rather than a change in use. For more information, go to http://www.census.gov and enter "Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2016" in the search box.

The Current Population Survey (CPS) has periodically collected data about computer use since 1984 and about internet use since 1997. Both surveys exclude those living in group quarters. However, users should note CPS data are not necessarily comparable to ACS data in several important ways. First, unlike the ACS, some CPS questions are asked at the person level. In addition, the CPS questions and answer categories have changed multiple times over the years. Therefore, comparable data may not be available for certain questions during some years. In addition, some questions may appear to have similar wording as the ACS questions, but may not have been asked of the same type of people. Finally, weighting procedures differ between the two surveys.