This study analyses how socio-economic inequality affects access to and use of digital media and how this affects students' educational outcomes. Based on data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022, the analysis focuses on how inequalities in socio-economic status affect both access to digital resources and their effective use for educational purposes. The digital divide is therefore analysed as a complex phenomenon that is not limited to the mere possession of devices but also reflects inequalities in the digital skills needed to use them for learning.

Using an ordinal logistic regression model, the study shows that ICT use for academic purposes is positively and significantly associated with aspirations to continue vocational or university studies. However, this effect is mediated by material conditions: among students with lower incomes, the probability of taking advantage of ICT for educational benefit is significantly lower, indicating that access alone is not sufficient to overcome structural disadvantages.

The results reveal that students from households with lower economic and cultural capital are significantly less likely to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for academic purposes, even when they have devices and internet connection. This is evidence of a second-level digital divide: the one that refers to the meaningful and productive use of ICT. Students with less material access often lack parental support, digital literacy and a home environment conducive to learning, which contributes to lower educational expectations and a higher risk of disengagement and dropout.

The analysis confirms that socio-economic background is a key factor in digital usage patterns and educational outcomes. Although access to technology has increased, its benefits are still unevenly distributed. Students from higher socio-economic backgrounds tend to integrate ICT into their academic routines and project more ambitious educational goals. In contrast, those from more disadvantaged backgrounds make more limited use of ICT in education, reinforcing existing achievement gaps and undermining their long-term educational trajectories.

These results underline the need to address the structural causes of the digital divide by directly tackling the problems of access to and use of ICT. Education policies should go beyond infrastructure and connectivity, focus on the development of digital skills in learners and their families, and prioritise the most socio-economically vulnerable contexts. Promoting equitable use of ICT for educational purposes is key to reducing early school leaving and ensuring that the digitisation of education is a lever for inclusion, not just another factor of exclusion.

Keywords: ICT in education, vulnerable students, digital divide, digital skills.