For those who routinely employ the global network to shop, research, and retrieve the news, the fact that over 16 million people in the UK have never been online seems rather astonishing. More than trivia to contemplate, it represents a significant concern for those proponents of various plans to correct what is referred to as the Digital Divide.

The mission of the Institute for Digital Inclusion is to “promote the use of effective and affordable technology among all communities with the goal of enhancing individual lives, globally.”, states one such institution concerned with imbalances in the sweep of technological advances.

“…there’s a danger the digital divide will deepen as there are large numbers of people still struggling with technology that must not be left behind as everyone else gets more tech-savvy.

Technology trends for the US are generally two years ahead of the UK, making it a good indicator of what will happen here, according to Ellen Helsper, a survey research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute who was speaking at a BT-sponsored round-table event.

In the US the number of web users has reached a plateau at a much lower level than expected – with one-third of the US population still to go online, she said.”
(Source)