What Is Heavy Internet Use?

Heavy Internet users are like many others: They spend much time browsing the web and playing games on their computers. Unlike most people, heavy Internet users spend much more time online. Heavy Internet users might be gamers who play for hours at a time or movie buffs who stream films for hours on end, or maybe you're just a person who likes to keep up with the news and social media updates—and if so, you're probably an avid heavy Internet user! Heavy Internet users use more bandwidth than average users, which can cause problems with their connection and affect other users' experiences. It's a problem that's been brewing for a while. The number of high-bandwidth online activities has increased exponentially, and now they're more popular than ever. It's more than just the popularity of these activities causing problems; it's the increasing number of people using them regularly. If you're one of these heavy internet users, you may be subject to additional charges from your internet service provider (ISP). This is true if you use much bandwidth in your daily routine, such as streaming videos or playing games online. The reason for this is simple: ISPs have to pay for the bandwidth they use, so if their customers use too much of their bandwidth, they'll have to pay more out of pocket. The Internet is a dangerous place. When you're online, there's no telling what you might find. Some of it is good, and some are bad—and sometimes, the line between the two can get a little blurry. If you pay too much time on the Internet, you could spend too much time on the Internet. According to some studies, heavy Internet users are more likely to suffer from depression than people who don't use it as often. According to one study published in 2009 by researchers at Harvard University's Computer Addiction Study Center (CASC), between 5 and 10 percent of Internet users are addicted to some degree.