Roughly one-third of Americans do not have a wireless Internet connection at home, according to a February survey by the Federal Communications Commission.The survey found 6 percent of non-users access the Internet outside of their homes, and another 6 percent use a slower Internet connection.Twenty-two percent of those surveyed do not use the Internet at all.In college students, 19 percent do not use the Internet at home, and 5 percent do not use the Internet at all, according to the survey.”The Internet is almost necessary nowadays to connect globally,” said Ben Carroll, electrical engineering senior.Reasons for non-use varied from the high cost of access to concern about potential dangers and privacy violations.One-third said there was nothing on the Internet that interested them, and they thought it was a waste of time.The availability and variety of Internet content could also be daunting to users, Carroll said.Some cited a lack of productivity when working online as a contribution to why they avoided the Internet, according to the survey.Chris LeBlanc, anthropology senior, said he spent more time studying and researching for school projects in high school before he used the Internet.”I think that certainly for college students being connected is the status quo, and the choice not to be connected can be seen in two ways,” said Nathan Crick, assistant professor in communication studies. ”On one hand it gives you power to be versed in a system and to know how to get ahead, but on the other hand, being outside of it gives you perspective.”Remaining separate from an entity allows a person to better understand its function, Crick said.The survey also found 8 percent of non users are interested in being online but lack the resources to get connected.Seven percent of non-users have the equipment but feel they either lack the skills to use the Internet or doubt its usefulness.
 
 
 
– – – -Contact Grace Montgomery at [email protected]