Monday, January 9, 2012

ACS questions re: computer & internet usage, parental place of birth

The Census Bureau published a Federal Register notice on December 28, 2011 [PDF], seeking comment on two proposed new topics (questions) for the American Community Survey (ACS) starting in 2013.

The Census Bureau tested these new questions in its 2010 ACS Content Test. The topics are:
1. Computer and internet usage
2. Parental place of birth

Terri Ann Lowenthal, in her Census Project blog, speculated about the implications for census-taking of racial, income, geographic, and other socioeconomic differentials in Internet access and usage.

She writes in an e-mail: "Nonprofits working with immigrant communities might be especially interested in the proposed question on parental place of birth. The justification for both proposed topics is included in the FR notice. The notice also summarizes several other proposed tweaks (the technical term!) to ACS questions starting in 2013.

"Deadline for public comments is February 27, 2012...I urge any organizations supporting these new question topics to submit comments to the Department of Commerce."

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