[PCWorld]

Post your comments for 1 in 5 Americans are 'Internet Innocents' here

[ZipFolder]

This goes to show that technology is still on the move.

[MichaelRousseau]

Seems like realistic numbers to me. Give it 10 years and those numbers will drop by quite a bit I imagine. We have cities in my country looking to provide wifi to the whole community. That will pick up the people who don't/can't pay for internet access.

[justchris2010]

These people that don't use computers are just older people that grew up before home PCs came out. Show me 20% of real Americans that have lived in the USA for the past 40 years under the age of 45 that don't know how to use a PC even a little then I will say these matters matter but 1 out of 5 mostly old and foreign people from close to what we call a 3rd world nation is not news it is common sense that if they did not grow up using PCs then a small % of them never felt it unnecessary to learn how to use one. It has only been around 15 to 20 years that home computers started hitting every home and not tell around 2005 did the home PC come down in price ($500 or less) so everyone could afford one, these numbers are quite low At 20% and that will go down over the next 10 years to where every one has some form of computer. It took around this long for the TV to reach every home to!

[shanedr]

"About 20 percent of Internet innocents say they don't know enough about technology to use the Net," A more correct statement would be they are afraid to learn.

Unfortunately it leaves their children at a disadvantage.

[Nuke61]

justchris2010, on 14 April 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

These people that don't use computers are just older people that grew up before home PCs came out.

Not true, although they are part of the 20% group. People in households of less than 30k/year are also less likely to use the internet, as are those who do not have a high school diploma.

The group that is most likely to use the Internet, at 97%, are those in households with incomes of greater than 75k/year. The next most likely, at 94%, are those in the 18-26 age group and people with a college degree.

[mrb186]

"Some advocacy groups even contend that the absence of a broadband connection can contribute to reduced household income".
Well, I can guarantee that the PRESENCE of a broadband connection will definitely contribute to reduced household income. Broadband service is much too expensive.

[Nuke61]

mrb186, on 15 April 2012 - 04:15 AM, said:

"Some advocacy groups even contend that the absence of a broadband connection can contribute to reduced household income".
Well, I can guarantee that the PRESENCE of a broadband connection will definitely contribute to reduced household income.

Incorrect, a broadband connection will negatively affect household expenses. The argument that a lack of broadband may cause reduced household income is based on exposure to tech and business opportunities.

[nonseq]

Nuke61, on 15 April 2012 - 06:49 AM, said:

mrb186, on 15 April 2012 - 04:15 AM, said:

"Some advocacy groups even contend that the absence of a broadband connection can contribute to reduced household income".
Well, I can guarantee that the PRESENCE of a broadband connection will definitely contribute to reduced household income.

Incorrect, a broadband connection will negatively affect household expenses. The argument that a lack of broadband may cause reduced household income is based on exposure to tech and business opportunities.

And the lack of broadband is most likely co-relational rather than causal. That is, no broadband is more likely related to lack of ability to pay for it rather than lack of broadband causing low income.

[TsarNikky]

Regrettably, so many companies have "abandoned" that 20% marketplace, by not providing for non-internet mechanisms to contact or do business with them. (It must be nice to be able to discard potential business.)

[TsarNikky]

justchris2010, on 14 April 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

These people that don't use computers are just older people that grew up before home PCs came out. Show me 20% of real Americans that have lived in the USA for the past 40 years under the age of 45 that don't know how to use a PC even a little then I will say these matters matter but 1 out of 5 mostly old and foreign people from close to what we call a 3rd world nation is not news it is common sense that if they did not grow up using PCs then a small % of them never felt it unnecessary to learn how to use one. It has only been around 15 to 20 years that home computers started hitting every home and not tell around 2005 did the home PC come down in price ($500 or less) so everyone could afford one, these numbers are quite low At 20% and that will go down over the next 10 years to where every one has some form of computer. It took around this long for the TV to reach every home to!

Do I detect some bias, in that "just older people" are not "real Americans..."? Older people are often those who do have disposable income and are willing to spend--as opposed to most "younger people" who up to their eyeballs in debt. Ignore or abandon them at one's peril.

[xyberviri]

My Grandparents are in their late 80's, they dont need the internet to be happy, in fact i envy them some times.

[AJohnTurner]

Yes most Americans use the Internet; but how many of today's Internet users would pass an Internet Driver's License Exam?

We're not talking anything excessively technical here, just basic Internet survival:

How many could identify their account to their ISP in an emergency? How many know would know a "stuck" router from a line failure? How many could use DHCP rather than toggling the power "to get the Internet back"? How many could cope with a high-latency connection? SMTP? FTP? IRC? What is your MAC address and does it belong to Apple?

None of it is any more complicated than driving a car, yet not nine in ten of today's Internet users could handle even one item on that short list above. As a society we need to do better! Don't we?

[jscott418]

I think you also have rural area's with poor conectivity with the internet. I personally do not think people are suffering if they choose not to have internet. But I think as time passes that will change. I bought my Mother in law a iPad so that she could access the internet. Know what she does with it? Play games. Never opens up the browser or uses a App that accesses the internet. As the old saying goes. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

[jonarosen]

TsarNikky, on 15 April 2012 - 02:37 PM, said:

justchris2010, on 14 April 2012 - 10:46 AM, said:

These people that don't use computers are just older people that grew up before home PCs came out. Show me 20% of real Americans that have lived in the USA for the past 40 years under the age of 45 that don't know how to use a PC even a little then I will say these matters matter but 1 out of 5 mostly old and foreign people from close to what we call a 3rd world nation is not news it is common sense that if they did not grow up using PCs then a small % of them never felt it unnecessary to learn how to use one. It has only been around 15 to 20 years that home computers started hitting every home and not tell around 2005 did the home PC come down in price ($500 or less) so everyone could afford one, these numbers are quite low At 20% and that will go down over the next 10 years to where every one has some form of computer. It took around this long for the TV to reach every home to!

Do I detect some bias, in that "just older people" are not "real Americans..."? Older people are often those who do have disposable income and are willing to spend--as opposed to most "younger people" who up to their eyeballs in debt. Ignore or abandon them at one's peril.

Actually, I think what he's saying is that the portion of the 20% that are not Senior's, are not actually Americans. They are illegal immigrants. Honestly, I tend to agree on the whole with this, however, one cannot forget that there are also a good number of severely-rural communities where the internet barely reaches that also fit within the 20%.

[TheOldTopkick]

I would be interested in seeing why those who do not use the Internet do not do so. Also, I would like to see some graphics on those who live where electricity is not commonly found. What is the percentage of users there? You raise about as many questions as you answer. After all, your statistics show that 80-percent of the people do use the Internet.

[bigbear639]

shanedr, on 14 April 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

"About 20 percent of Internet innocents say they don't know enough about technology to use the Net," A more correct statement would be they are afraid to learn.

Unfortunately it leaves their children at a disadvantage.

Bull*rap, They can't afford the price of a Computer and internet service, which is still not available in many rural Areas. Many have no need for it, not because they are afraid, they see no reason to get it. If I can't get a book in a real store CD/DVD to hold in my hand then I don't need it same for magazines and newspapers. There is TV or Radio for News, to much of it as it is. Spanish Speakers, and other ethnic groups lso have Computers and internet.

[Penroy]

I think often it's a case of those people having never had the opportunity to learn about computers/technology. A friend of mine went from working as a handy man, who'd never sat in front of a computer, to working in cell phone store, where everything was computerized. He had 2 weeks to learn before the job started, and all he needed was the exposure and practice-3 months later, he was as efficient as any other employee. As far as senior citizens go, I see voluntary help sessions being offered by students for seniors to learn the basics of a cellphone, and steadily I see computer help now also being offered. Seniors are also given the choice of phones like the SVC or Jitterbug, that have a basic interface to help them with something that is often new to them. The SVC has a basic yes/no menu, but once they gain confidence using it, could easily move to something more advanced. Now I realize it's more complex to design computers/browser to be simple, but if an easier option was available, they could steadily build their confidence in the same manner. All to often, the gap could be closed if we took the time to show/explain to our grandparents how it all works.