Nielsen//NetRatings reports that Americans spent about 14 hours per month online at home, down 2% from a year ago. Of the 12 countries tracked in the study, which together account for more than 70% of the world’s Internet usage, only the US showed a decline.

Where are US Web surfers going? Has the Internet wave finally crested? Perhaps not, but these new findings should certainly serve as an early warning to Internet companies. “There are many opportunities ahead for companies online,” says Kaizad Gotla, Nielsen//NetRatings analyst. “But if they just continue to do what they’re doing today, they’re only going to move sideways.”

Americans’ time online at home is close to the worldwide average. Hong Kong surfers log the longest hours, averaging nearly 22 hours a month online. On the lower end, Italians average only eight hours online a month.

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