Determining Digital Divide in Local-Level ICT Usage for 311 Civic Applications

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have transformed society and enabled numerous societal applications. However, there is limited understanding whether ICT usage is equitable or not across different neighborhoods (in which public are often geographically clustered based on their socio-economic compositions) within a city. One such application is 311 service, which allows public to report neighborhood specific concerns to their local authorities (e.g., city departments) using various ICT methods. An access to ICTs, willingness, and basic digital literacy skills are required to use these services. Here, we examine if digital divide exist in ICT usage for requesting services specific to 311 applications across diverse neighborhoods in Pittsburgh by analyzing publicly available open 311 civic data. Our data-driven empirical findings reveal the following: First, different neighborhoods with distinct socio-economic and demographic profiles have varying categories of 311 requests. Second, the type of ICT usage and patterns for 311 requests differ across these neighborhoods. Third, higher home prices and presence of a higher proportion of female residents correlate positively with submitted 311 requests. Fourth, while empirical study indicates the possibility of having digital divide in 311 application specific ICT usage, corresponding statistical hypothesis testing based on t-test fails to reject the null hypothesis and further demands a thorough analysis with more number of neighborhoods. This empirical study and corresponding insights can help city policymakers construct data-driven decisions, guiding policy formulation and local-level resource allocation. The methodology provides a blueprint for similar analyses in other cities.