First-time internet users: Who they are and what they do when they get online

Decades after internet access became widely available, Pew Research Center surveys show that about a tenth of American adults (12%) remain offline. But what happens when some of them take the plunge and connect? A new analysis provides a glimpse of the online behaviors of those who are new to the internet. For starters, having access to the internet did not lead to more online exploration for some of the people we studied. Some had difficulties with their tablets. Some ventured out into online activities.These new users had a particular demographic profile (skewed older, more female and had lower household incomes and educational attainment). New users liked going online to learn new things and access entertainment.