ABSTRACT
This chapter examines spatial patterns and determinants of the use of the Internet for entertainment purposes in the counties of the United States. The conceptual model posits associations of 13 demographic, economic, education, innovation, and social capital independent variables with five dependent indicators of e-entertainment. Using a sample of 3,109 U.S. counties, education, age structure, working age population, and service occupations are determined to be dominant correlates of e-entertainment. Spatial patterns of e-entertainment diffusion in U.S. counties indicate an urban-rural divide consistent with prior digital-divide literature. High use of e-entertainment amidst low e-entertainment clusters is often found in counties that are home to large public universities, military reservations, or government labs. This chapter fills an important void in the digital-divide literature as research and related discourse shifts from measuring and examining differences in access of ICTs to differences in actual use of the Internet.
