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Internet access and poverty reduction: Evidence from rural and urban Mexico

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  • Mora-Rivera, Jorge
  • García-Mora, Fernando

Abstract

Using data from Mexico's 2016 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH), we estimate the impact of Internet access on the multidimensional and income poverty of rural and urban Mexico. Based on a Propensity Score Matching approach, our results show that Internet access helps reduce poverty levels in Mexico. Findings also reveal differentiated effects in the two indicators accounting for greater deprivation. The impacts on reducing extreme income poverty and extreme multidimensional poverty are more significant for the rural sector than for the urban sector. The results suggest policy measures aimed at solving issues that limit Internet access for individuals and households with higher social vulnerability, thereby contributing to a reduction of the poverty levels experienced by an important segment of Mexico's population.

Suggested Citation

  • Mora-Rivera, Jorge & García-Mora, Fernando, 2021. "Internet access and poverty reduction: Evidence from rural and urban Mexico," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:45:y:2021:i:2:s030859612030166x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2020.102076
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    5. Phan, Van-Phuc, 2023. "Is the internet penetration pro-poor? Evidence from a panel data analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8).
    6. Lee, Hyeongjik & Jeong, Seonkoo & Lee, Kwanghee, 2023. "The South Korean case of deploying rural broadband via fiber networks by implementing universal service obligation and public-private partnership based project," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3).
    7. Cristi Spulbar & Lucian Claudiu Anghel & Ramona Birau & Simona Ioana Ermiș & Laurențiu-Mihai Treapăt & Adrian T. Mitroi, 2022. "Digitalization as a Factor in Reducing Poverty and Its Implications in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-26, August.
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    10. Edward J. Oughton & Ashutosh Jha, 2021. "Supportive 5G Infrastructure Policies are Essential for Universal 6G: Assessment using an Open-source Techno-economic Simulation Model utilizing Remote Sensing," Papers 2102.08086, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2021.
    11. Seyid Abdellahi Ebnou Abdem & Jérôme Chenal & El Bachir Diop & Rida Azmi & Meriem Adraoui & Cédric Stéphane Tekouabou Koumetio, 2023. "Using Logistic Regression to Predict Access to Essential Services: Electricity and Internet in Nouakchott, Mauritania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-28, November.
    12. Xie, Huilong & Zhang, Jiashu & Shao, Jingwen, 2023. "Difference in the influence of internet use on the relative poverty among farmers with different income structures," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 561-570.
    13. Dzator, Janet & Acheampong, Alex O. & Appiah-Otoo, Isaac & Dzator, Michael, 2023. "Leveraging digital technology for development: Does ICT contribute to poverty reduction?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(4).
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    19. Tang, Jianjun & Gong, Jiaowei & Ma, Wanglin & Rahut, Dil Bahadur, 2022. "Narrowing urban–rural income gap in China: The role of the targeted poverty alleviation program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 74-90.
    20. Ablam Estel Apeti, 2022. "Household welfare in the digital age: Assessing the effect of mobile money on household consumption volatility in developing countries," Post-Print hal-03819779, HAL.
    21. Monica Karel Huerta & Jessica Garizurieta & Rubén González & Luis-Ángel Infante & Melina Horna & Renato Rivera & Roger Clotet, 2023. "A Long-Distance WiFi Network as a Tool to Promote Social Inclusion in Southern Veracruz, Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-27, June.

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