This paper attempts to give a broad picture about the social distribution of the use of the internet, in its first part referring to international aspects, then giving a more detailed account of Romanian peculiarities. The author – Katalin Ravasz – is a sociologist and works with the Institute of Research Programs, Kolozsvár. According to comparative data, the price of a home internet connection is quite high in Romania, but we also have to consider that the label „too expensive" arises through social construction in a given context. That is, the perception „too expensive" doesn't form an absolute category, but is strongly subjective and socially determined. It is also probable that a reference to material causes could hide other kinds of lacks. The high rate of answers referring to material causes indicates the necessity of an analysis from the perspective of material status.