Research on the Internet Access and Usage Gap in Rural Areas and Its Influencing Factors

With the implementation of the digital village development strategy, it is of great significance to explore the Internet access and usage divide and its influencing factors in rural areas of China to promote the rural revitalization strategy with high quality. Based on the data from the 2018 China Household Tracking Survey, this paper analyzes the Internet access and usage divide and its influencing factors in rural areas using the Heckman two-stage model. The empirical results show that people with higher education and better economic conditions are more likely to access the Internet, and men are more likely to access it through mobile Internet. Young people with higher levels of education and digital skills are more likely to use the Internet. Patterns of Internet use vary by gender, age, education level, occupation and geographic location. Young people are more likely to engage in e-commerce online activities, while older people are less likely to participate in online activities. The findings of this paper provide empirical evidence to analyze the digital divide in rural China and provide a basis for the government to formulate targeted telecommunications policies.