Gender Differences in ICT Access and Use Among Brazilian Youngsters

Abstract

The importance of gender equality in the knowledge society is being considered by the social and information science literature. Gender differences in ICT access and use suggesting lower levels of information literacy among women, also indicate that the perspectives of women in the Knowledge society are threatened. The objective of this work is to bring data and discussion on the Brazilian young generation, focusing on gender question. We point out questions about how girls are accessing and using the internet and their internet abilities. The data considered in the analyses presented were obtained from annual surveys from the Brazilian Bureau of Census (IBGE) and Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br). Results suggest that, although girls are accessing the internet equally, they do not have the same profile of internet use and appropriation, and girls are being directed to some specific activities. Besides, the boys seem to show a better self-image of internet abilities than girls.