Sex, Alcohol and Showers: What Americans Would Give Up for the Internet

Just what would you give up if the Internet was taken away from you? For some, sex, alcohol, showers, and chocolate are on the list, according to a report by the Boston Consulting Group.

The study, which is focused on the importance of the Internet on the economy, predicts that by 2016 the Internet will account for 5.2 precent of GDP for G20 countries. However, it's the supporting facts that show how dependent consumers are on the Internet. And the findings are both striking and humorous.

The researchers found that 21 percent of Americans would give up sex for Internet connectivity. As the infographic below illustrates, 73 percent would give up alcohol, 69 percent would give up coffee, and 77 percent chocolate rather than give up the Internet for the year.

Image credit: Boston Consulting Group

Interestingly, U.S. consumers also perceive the cost of the Internet to be $3,000 a year, even though most spend only $472 on applications and services.

The Boston Consulting Group provides information about all G-20 countries in its report and interviewed 1,000 users in each location.