Falling through the net again: exploring the characteristics of internet dropout in China

The characteristics of people who have never used the internet (non-adopters) and policy remedies have been well researched in scholarship on the digital divide. However, little is known about un-adopters, people who once used the internet but no longer do. Based on data obtained from the third and fourth follow-up surveys (2016 and 2018) of the China Family Panel Studies, this study reveals that China’s internet un-adopters are largely similar to non-adopters. However, place of residence and gender are non-significant predictors of internet discontinuation. It is suggested that conventional user-side digital divide programs targeting non-adopters, such as lowering costs, increasing awareness, and improving digital literacy, are still effective and should be extended to cover internet un-adopters.