By ROGER FILLION
Call them digital-age Luddites or, in the most extreme case, techno terrorists.
A new survey of Internet gurus predicts that a cultural group will emerge by 2020 that will swear off the World Wide Web altogether as a way to limit information overload _ and some will retaliate against technology.
"The expectation among our respondents is that it will not be a large percentage that will turn to violence," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
The nonprofit conducted the survey with North Carolina-based Elon University.
"It's more like a lifestyle phenomenon rather than a violence-and-lashing-out phenomenon."
Pew and Elon surveyed 742 high-tech experts and analysts for their views of what's to come.
Participants were asked if they agreed or disagreed with seven scenarios about the future. They were given a chance to elaborate on their answers.
According to the results, 58 percent agreed that those left behind _ many by choice _ from ever-changing information and communications technology will break off and become technology hermits.
"Some will live mostly 'off the grid' simply to seek peace and a cure for information overload while others will commit acts of terror or violence in protest against technology," according to the survey.
Thirty-five percent of those surveyed disagreed, while 7 percent did not respond about that particular scenario.
Many also argued that violence arising from conflicts over religion, economics, and politics will be more prevalent.
"Many of these respondents knew from history and personal experience that technologies can have good and bad effects," said Rainie.
"You could see them toting up the pluses and minuses in their answers. I come away with a sense that the future is still up for grabs, even as everyone agrees that it will be very different from today."
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