Attitudes and Practices of Non-Users as Compared with Users

While there is a significant number of non-users who face real barriers (for example, affordability, literacy, etc.) to using the Internet, the issue of the perceived lack of relevancy or value of the Internet is an important consideration for many. These are fairly set views suggesting that these individuals will not be particularly likely to use the Internet in the near future, or if they do, will do so only on an occasional basis. Individuals in the non-user subgroups use a range of other communication technologies in their daily activities, so reluctance to use the Internet is not just a technophobic response.

For example, while both users and non-users are generally supportive of an increased use of new technologies in business and government, the degree of this support varies. As compared to users, there tends to be much less support for an increase in the use of technology by government with non-users. But, non-users still tend to favour the use of new technology with a little over half (56 per cent) thinking that this is a good idea. Many non-users need to be convinced that new technology, like the Internet, is as valuable as it is popularly claimed to be. For example, more than one in four (26 per cent) non-users strongly believes that the government’s use of technology is the wrong direction to go.