Connected Nation (CN) has released a new study that reveals an urgent need to address the issue of internet insecurity. Nearly one-third of rural households surveyed reported experiencing a gap in their home internet situation in the past year. These results demonstrate that to benefit from broadband, not only do rural Americans need to get connected, but they must stay connected.
The report, titled “Stuck in the middle: Internet insecurity in rural America,” analyzes data from 2,600 rural households in Michigan and Colorado, asking whether there had been a time in the previous 12 months when their home internet situation had changed. This includes households that did not subscribe to internet service but had previously been connected, as well as those who had an internet subscription but experienced a lapse during the previous year.
“Internet insecurity is an important issue that nearly 1 in 3 rural households face,” said Chris McGovern, Director, Research Development, CN. “As the infrastructure improves and more Americans can access high-speed internet, we need to make sure that everyone can benefit by having reliable, affordable service all the time.”
Key findings from the report include:
- Roughly one-third (30.6%) of the surveyed population is internet insecure.
- Households with children are more likely to experience intermittent internet connectivity; one-third (34.2%) of households with children under 18 living at home are internet insecure.
- People with disabilities are more likely to experience internet insecurity than people without disabilities.
“People may lose their internet service for a variety of reasons, from technical lapses to budget choices,” said McGovern, “But broadband is so important nowadays that no one should have to go without it for any length of time.”
Without sustained internet connectivity, families may struggle to consistently access educational resources, job opportunities, telehealth services, and other essential aspects of modern life.
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