Fewer than half of Blacks and Hispanics say they use the Internet regularly

Fewer than half of African Americans and Hispanics use the Internet regularly, although they believe that Internet access can provide critical information about jobs, health and families. A survey of 900 black and Hispanic adults shows that while the digital divide of the 1990s may have receded, significant differences in usage remain.

The survey results by pollster Cornell Belcher were disclosed Thursday at the Broadband Symposium of the Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) in Washington. Belcher, who won national attention for his work on behalf of then-candidate Barack Obama, questioned minority adults nationwide about their views of the Internet. One in five respondents rated Internet speed as more important than free access in expanding access to the Web, a finding that’s good news for David Sutphen, co-chairman of the IIA, which supports universal broadband access to the Web for underserved communities...