Every sixth resident of Russia aged 15-74 years never used the Internet, according to an analytical report released by the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge.

"Despite the rapid development of technology and the diversity of types of access to the network, as well as the ability to meet diverse needs (including government and social services, education and leisure activities), almost every sixth (16.3%) resident of our country in the age group 15-74 never used the Internet. Among urban residents, their percentage is just over 13%, and among rural residents, almost twice as many (25.7%)," the report says.

According to the study, overwhelming majority - 70.1% of respondents do not use the Internet mainly because they don’t need it. In addition, over the past two years there has been an increase in the share of those who are forced to abandon online options due to lack of relevant skills.

"In 2015, every fifth person named this reason (21.8%), in 2017 almost every third already (29.0%). Such factors as high connection costs and lack of technical ability to connect to the Internet, over time become less relevant," according to the study.

"The number of persons refusing to use the Internet for security reasons is relatively small: in 2017 their share was 3.4%. However, this reason has gradually become more common. Only two years earlier, the risk of cyber threats prompted only 1.5% of adult users to stop using the network," the report said.

The report was prepared by the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge by the request of the Coordination Center of the national domain of the Internet. In particular, it represents the results of a comprehensive study of state policy in the field of digital economy, dynamics of transformational changes in the economy and society under the influence of network technologies.

The baseline data for the study the institute used relevant official statistics for 2017 of the Federal Statistics Service, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Health and other organizations.