Internet use on the rise.

Federal report shows African Americans are fastest-growing group online

Backs are wasting no time in getting Internet access. Between 1998 and 2000, African Americans' Internet penetration grew at the rate of 110% compared with whites, whose growth rate was 55%.

According to the report, Falling Through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion, released by the United States Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), 23.5% of the African American population had Internet access at home in 2000.

Hispanic households, at 23.6%, weighed in at one-tenth of a percent higher. White households accounted for 46.1%, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders accounted for 56.8% of all households with Internet access. While these figures appear low for blacks and Hispanics, there has been a substantial increase in Internet access for these groups since 1998, and the future looks bright.

"Lower computer prices and more accessibility to computers in libraries and schools contributed to the growth in computer and Internet access among blacks and Hispanics," said Kelly Levy, associate administrator for the NTIA. "We anticipate that with initiatives through the federal government and the private sector, everyone will experience more growth over time."

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