Educational disparities in digital inequality: Relationships between online activities and online harms

Grounded in the theoretical framework of digital inequality, this paper systematically analyses why individuals with different educational backgrounds experience varying degrees and types of online harms. Using nationally representative data from China ( N = 2120), we construct an operational model of online harms that encompassing psychological, social, and physical dimensions. Our findings reveal that psychological symptoms are the most prevalent, followed by health risks, with social isolation being the least common. While the highly educated experience higher levels of online harm overall, the less educated face a greater risk of online harm in nearly all online activities except information seeking and commercial transactions. Furthermore, the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition reveals that educational disparities in psychological and physical online harms are primarily driven by online activities such as entertainment, socializing, content creation, and online activism. In contrast, only frequent participation in online activism encourages the disparity in social online harms. These findings highlight the importance of examining digital inequality through the lens of online harms, emphasising the structural and behavioral mechanisms that shape digital divisions. • Developed a three-dimensional model of psychological, physical, and social harms. • Psychological online harms are most common, and social harms are less reported. • Less educated face higher harm risks despite engaging in fewer online activities. • Online activity is critical factor in explaining educational digital inequality.