Households in Britain can be classified into 23 “e-types” depending on their access to technology, say researchers.
E-types include mobile explorers, the e-committed and rational utilitarians.
Every postcode in Britain has been assigned a classification which people can check online to see if they agree with the researcher’s analysis.
Overall they identified eight groups which ranged from the “e-unengaged” to “e-experts”.
Previously many researchers referred to a single “digital divide” between “haves” and “have nots”.
“A decade ago people talked about just two groups but life is no longer that simple,” said Professor Longley.
The eight groups were further subdivided into 23 e-types to describe particular ways people used technology. For example in the e-unengaged group there are six e-types including “mobiles the limit”, “cable suffices” and “technology as fantasy”.
Cool! I’d describe myself as “enthusiastic rational utilitarian”.
