Finance Choices
Internet searchers 'widen' the wealth gap
Internet searches could widen the gap between Britain's richest as poorest areas, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said.
Sophisticated property search engines mean that those with internet access can locate neighbourhoods and regions that fit their aspirations.
But this could lead to the UK developing pockets of rich and pockets of poor households - with detrimental effects on social cohesion and limiting the choices for people without internet access.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report finds that internet-based neighbourhood information systems could therefore create a more segregated society, by guiding buyers to the best schools and lowest crime figures and aiding their search for areas with the people they would most want as neighbours.
While such websites already exist in the US, the UK is yet to develop tools as sophisticated.
However, some commercial sites have information collected by postcode; and the government's own Neighbourhood Statistics website offers statistical, demographic and environmental information on neighbourhoods.
Additionally, joke sites listing 'crap' or 'chav' towns contain certain social characteristics of different areas, mostly in negative terms.
"It seems only a matter of time before the kind of powerful neighbourhood search sites available in the United States start to reinforce the divide between the more and less prosperous locations in the UK," commented professor Roger Burrows, who led the research team conducting the report.
"This is potentially worrying. Given what we know about the benefits of mixed-income communities in promoting social cohesion, it is important that greater public access to the 'social sorting' technology used by market research does not pull in the opposite direction and lead to even greater segregation between communities."
He added: "While no one would want to prevent public access to neighbourhood information, we should recognise the potential implications for disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the people who live in them.
"At a minimum it would be sensible to insist that that internet-based neighbourhood information systems websites specify their sources and make it clear how their information was compiled. We also recommend that local people are given opportunities to challenge the way their neighbourhoods are being portrayed, if necessary."
Sophisticated property search engines mean that those with internet access can locate neighbourhoods and regions that fit their aspirations.
But this could lead to the UK developing pockets of rich and pockets of poor households - with detrimental effects on social cohesion and limiting the choices for people without internet access.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report finds that internet-based neighbourhood information systems could therefore create a more segregated society, by guiding buyers to the best schools and lowest crime figures and aiding their search for areas with the people they would most want as neighbours.
While such websites already exist in the US, the UK is yet to develop tools as sophisticated.
However, some commercial sites have information collected by postcode; and the government's own Neighbourhood Statistics website offers statistical, demographic and environmental information on neighbourhoods.
Additionally, joke sites listing 'crap' or 'chav' towns contain certain social characteristics of different areas, mostly in negative terms.
"It seems only a matter of time before the kind of powerful neighbourhood search sites available in the United States start to reinforce the divide between the more and less prosperous locations in the UK," commented professor Roger Burrows, who led the research team conducting the report.
"This is potentially worrying. Given what we know about the benefits of mixed-income communities in promoting social cohesion, it is important that greater public access to the 'social sorting' technology used by market research does not pull in the opposite direction and lead to even greater segregation between communities."
He added: "While no one would want to prevent public access to neighbourhood information, we should recognise the potential implications for disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the people who live in them.
"At a minimum it would be sensible to insist that that internet-based neighbourhood information systems websites specify their sources and make it clear how their information was compiled. We also recommend that local people are given opportunities to challenge the way their neighbourhoods are being portrayed, if necessary."
posted by Bruce Wayne at 6:53 AM
Internet searchers 'widen' the wealth gap
2 Comments:
It's only fair that people get an idea of what a town is like prior to moving there so I'm all in favour of these websites.
If the towns have nothing to hide then they have nothing to worry about do they?
It is alot easier when you have access to the Internet and can compare areas, though it still pays to be wary and not take everything you read at face value.
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