Internet uses by young students during the covid-19 pandemic in Mexico

The Covid-19 pandemic caused the closure of educational centers in Mexico and the adoption of a model of distance classes, that showed wide technological inequalities between individuals. This work examines the uses of the internet by young Mexican students between the ages of 15 and 23 during the health contingency. A bivariate probit regression was estimated, with information from the National Survey on the Availability of Information Technologies in Households (ENDUTIH) 2020. The results show that during confinement, young students used cyberspace despite the digital divide, conditioned by socioeconomic and demographic factors, where less favored households have less chances of access. The findings show two types of uses: productive (tasks and courses complementary to education) and leisure (online games, listening to music, watching videos, and using social networks). The results show a lower use of digital technologies by women, which suggests gender differences. Likewise, the importance of higher education in a greater productive use of the internet and in the acquisition of digital skills is revealed.