Millions Miss Out on Internet Boom

By Peter Griffiths

Young people, wealthy families and graduates use the Internet more than the elderly, poor or unqualified, according to a report that highlights Britain's growing "digital divide."

Internet access is directly linked to people's age, income and education, the Office for National Statistics said in a major survey of the use of computers, cellphones and digital television.

While most young people regularly access the Web, more than half of those aged 50 or over have not used a computer in the last three months.

One in 12 British households has no access to the Internet, a cellphone or digital TV, according to the report "Focus on the Digital Age," published on Thursday.

Nine out of 10 of the highest-earning households have Internet access, compared to less than 20 percent for those on the lowest incomes.

Graduates were four times more likely to use the Internet regularly than those with no qualifications, the study found.

The number of families with home Internet access shot up to 55 percent in 2005-06 from just one in 10 in 1998-99, although the growth rate has eased.

Digital TV has seen an even greater rise. Nearly two-thirds of houses have digital, satellite or cable receivers, compared to a fifth a decade ago.

The proportion of adults using the Internet declines with age. Only 15 percent of those aged 65 and over visit Web sites.

However, the number of people aged between 55 and 64 going online rose to 52 percent by April 2006 from 30 percent in 2001-02.

The most common reasons given by older people for not using the Internet were a lack of interest or confidence; having no computer; seeing no benefits in the Web and cost.

Others said they relied on someone else to access the Web for them.

The report said a government campaign has made the Internet available to those without computers at most libraries and at online centers and some post offices.

The boundaries between computers, phones and televisions have been blurred by technological advances, the report said.

Many cellphones can access the Internet and send e-mail and some televisions allow people to surf the net or play games.

The report is at

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Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited.

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. Hundreds of new articles daily. And, discuss this and other topics in our forum at (or) For more news and headlines, please go to: [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A young man (well, 38 years old; younger than myself!) who is assigned to come over here to my house every day and look after me is in a difficult position, where internet is concerned. He has epilepsy, mostly under control, but he _cannot_ use internet at all; viewing the screen sets off his epileptic siezures. Apparently it's the pixels which are too close together; makes it very difficult for him to use computers for that reason. Raymond asks me to help him look up data through Google and elsewhere while he stands to the side and avoids looking at the screen for more than a minute or two at a time. He has had epilepsy since he was born, and I have to feel very sorry for him as a result. But he _can_ watch television, apparently the pixels on the screen are different. PAT]