• by January 16, 2001

Though at lower levels than the general market, Internet access by multicultural audiences has doubled during the previous two years, according to a study just released by Access Worldwide Communications in partnership with Survey.com. The online research study was conducted to understand Internet access and usage among multicultural markets in the United States.

The study measured online attitudes and practices among African Americans, Hispanics and the general market. Research indicates that ethnic and cultural factors play a prominent role in determining the unique needs, usage and attitudes of multicultural users.

Online African Americans and Hispanics are using the Internet to explore information and content for different purposes than the general market, according to the study. African Americans focus their Internet activities more on career advancement and professional development, family/relationship themes, education, entertainment and exploring hobbies and interests. Online Hispanics overwhelmingly use the Internet as a major source of news content, particularly international news. Unlike the general market, both groups are less likely to seek financial or technological information online.

The more longevity and experience that ethnic users have with the Internet, the more likely they will engage in e-commerce activities. The level of online experience is a determining factor whether online African Americans and Hispanics will use the Internet to eventually purchase products. More than 40% of online African Americans with three or more years of experience have purchased products from the Internet, compared to only 19% of online African Americans with less than three years experience. Similarly, 42% of online Hispanics with three or more years of experience have purchased products from the Internet, compared to 26% of online Hispanics with less than three years experience.

Despite increasing usage, continuing skepticism characterizes the attitudes of many ethnic Internet users, particularly among online African Americans. Among all groups, online African Americans are the least likely market to believe that the Internet removes racial barriers and creates new social opportunities. African American and Hispanic respondents were nearly three times and five times as likely, respectively, than the general market to mention negative perceptions of the Internet.

Online African Americans and Hispanics are very concerned about the influence of the Internet on their children and families. In contrast to 37% of the general market, 55% of online African Americans and 89% of online Hispanics have children at home. Forty percent of the African American and Hispanic respondents were dissatisfied with the Internet content for children. Half of African American respondents even felt that the Internet should be censored, twice the level of Hispanics and the general market.

"Unlike the majority of multicultural online researc