Growing Tech Divide: USA Today Halts Support for Outdated Browsers

USA Today has announced it will no longer support certain older web browsers as part of its ongoing commitment to deliver an optimized digital experience. The media giant, owned by Gannett Co., has implemented technological upgrades to its website that require more modern browsers capable of handling advanced features.

“USA Today wants to ensure the best experience for all of our readers, so we built our site to take advantage of the latest technology, making it faster and easier to use,” the company stated on its browser compatibility notice. Users attempting to access content through outdated browsers now receive this message instead of the news content they seek.

The move highlights an accelerating trend among major news publishers and content providers to leverage cutting-edge web technologies that older browsers simply cannot support. These advanced features often include improved security protocols, faster loading times, and enhanced multimedia capabilities that have become standard expectations for today’s internet users.

Industry analysts note that while the decision makes technical sense, it could potentially exclude segments of USA Today’s readership. Particularly vulnerable are older users who may not regularly update their devices, people using older hardware that cannot support newer browsers, and those in rural or low-income areas with limited access to updated technology.

“This is part of a broader digital divide issue we’re seeing across the media landscape,” explains Meredith Owens, a digital media analyst at Jefferson Media Research. “Publishers need to balance technological advancement with accessibility. Every time a major site drops support for older technology, a small percentage of users get left behind.”

The publication hasn’t specified which browsers are no longer supported, but technology experts suggest the cutoff likely affects older versions of Internet Explorer, early versions of Safari on older Apple devices, and outdated versions of Firefox and Chrome that haven’t received updates in several years.

For affected users, USA Today has provided a straightforward solution: “Please download one of these browsers for the best experience on usatoday.com,” the notice advises, though it doesn’t specify which browsers are recommended.

This technology upgrade comes as USA Today, like many traditional media outlets, continues to prioritize its digital presence amid declining print circulation. The publisher has invested heavily in its online platforms as more readers access news via mobile devices and computers rather than physical newspapers.

The decision also reflects the financial reality of web development. Supporting outdated browsers requires additional coding, testing, and maintenance—resources that media companies facing tight profit margins cannot always justify, particularly when analytics show diminishing usage of older browser technology.

Media technology consultant Rafael Diaz points out that this approach is becoming industry standard: “Major news sites like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and now USA Today are designing for the future, not the past. There’s a real cost to supporting legacy systems, and with most users on modern browsers, the math simply doesn’t work out anymore.”

Web accessibility advocates have expressed concern about such moves across the industry. “While we understand the technical and financial considerations,” says Terry McKenna of the Digital Inclusion Project, “we also believe news organizations have a responsibility to ensure their content remains accessible to all citizens, regardless of their technological means.”

For publishers, the challenge remains finding the balance between innovation and inclusion. As digital news consumption continues to evolve, decisions about which technologies to support will likely become increasingly complex, forcing media companies to regularly reassess how they deliver content to their diverse audiences.

Users encountering the compatibility message are encouraged to update their browsers or, if their current hardware doesn’t support newer browsers, consider accessing USA Today’s content through alternative means such as their mobile applications or social media channels where available.