Dr. Viswanath and his co-investigators worked with low-income residents of Boston to explore the ways in which individuals made decisions about communication and information services. For example, what technologies did they see as absolutely necessary versus expendable luxuries?

We worked with low-income residents of Boston to explore the ways in which individuals made decisions about communication and information services. For example, we asked them what technologies they saw as absolutely necessary versus expendable luxuries? Emerging themes helped us understand how new media technologies are impacting the information and communication strategies of low-income Boston residents. It also helped us better understand the types of communication and information inequalities that result.