The internet will have toll lanes.
The internet is turning into toll roads. People who can pay for fast service pull ahead, while families with less money and older Americans fall behind.
In January 2025 a federal appeals court struck down net neutrality, the rules that required providers to treat all internet traffic equally.1 Only 54% of Americans in households earning under $30,000 have home broadband, compared with 94% of those earning $100,000 or more.2 When the federal Affordable Connectivity Program ran out of money in 2024, 23 million households lost their help paying for internet.3
23 million U.S. households lost their help paying for internet when the Affordable Connectivity Program ended in June 2024 (FCC).
The trend
More numbers
households are estimated to have cut their internet service entirely after the subsidy ended.4
of Americans 65 and older have home broadband, the lowest of any age group.2
adults in households under $30,000 rely on a smartphone alone to get online, versus 4% at $100,000 and up.2
The other side
Overall home broadband adoption is high, and federal funding is still building networks in rural areas.
of Americans 65 and older now use the internet. Pew Research Center, 2024 ↗
of U.S. adults subscribe to home broadband. Pew Research Center, 2026 ↗
Why Anthony still holds this view
Being online is not the same as having fast, affordable access. The gap between the lowest and highest incomes is still 40 points.
For marketers
Big, slow-loading sites and apps only work well for people with fast internet. Build versions that work on a phone and a slow connection, and never make online the only way to reach you.
For you
If an older relative struggles online, set up one simple device and show them how it works.