While only one-fifth of the U.S. population, rural Americans account for half of people who don’t use the Internet, say the Daily Yonder, citing a McKinsey and Co report. It’s more than a question of Web access, which is problematic or costly in some areas – the rural Americans who haven’t been online in the past year are older and poorer than average. “Unlike developing nations – where lack of equipment and connections and illiteracy are likely roadblocks – U.S. barriers to online use are more likely to be based on the preferences and skills of American consumers,” says the Yonder.
The Pew Research Internet Research Project says one-third of Internet holdouts are skeptical of the value of the Internet, another third said they lacked the skills or found the process too difficult and 19 percent said Internet service cost too much. The popularity of smartphones along with affordability of the devices could lead to more Internet use, said Pew. “The portion of adult mobile phone users who use their phone to access the Internet grew from 29 percent at the start of 2010 to 60 percent by the end of 2013.”