The emergence of online video is increasing the gap between the Internet community and those who don’t go online. While 24% of Americans rarely or never go online, a Rasmussen Reports survey found that 29% of American adults watched online video within the last week. Among the growing segment of the population who go online every day or nearly every day, half (49%) have watched video online during the past week.

The gap can be seen in attitudes towards online video giant YouTube.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Americans have been following news stories about the company recently. Of those adults who go online every day or nearly every day. 33% have a favorable opinion YouTube while 18% have an unfavorable opinion. However, among those who rarely or never go online, just 8% have a favorable opinion of YouTube while 29% have a negative view.

Overall, among all Americans, 21% have a favorable opinion of YouTube and 23% hold an unfavorable view. Most, 56% have no opinion. This is a far lower level of name recognition than that of companies like Wal-Mart and the Big Three auto manufacturers.

Thirty-percent (30%) of adults have watched videos on YouTube at some point in their life. That figure includes 44% of adults under 30 and just 6% of those over 65.

One-fourth of the nation’s adults (24%) still resist the lure of the Internet and rarely or never go online. Another 12% go online just occasionally. As you might expect, those over 65 are most likely to fall into this category. In fact, 51% of the nation’s senior citizens rarely or never go online.

Forty-three percent (43%) go online every day or nearly every day.

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