Technology access for poor households after pandemic: evidence from six European countries

The growing importance of technology diffusion and digitalization processes in the global economy has accelerated further in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this diffusion varies according to socioeconomic context and different types of technology. This study analyzes the contribution of the Covid-19 pandemic to the digitalization process of poor households, focusing on Internet access and computer ownership. To this end, we implemented a Probit model using EU-SILC data for six European countries. The analysis considers several household-level socioeconomic factors, also examining heterogeneity across countries, pandemic periods, and household head characteristics. We find a significant negative association between digitalization and poverty. The pandemic clearly emerges as a catalyst for Internet adoption, with its effects particularly pronounced among economically disadvantaged households. In contrast, for computer ownership, the influence of Covid-19 is much more limited, with improvements observed only among distressed households.