Rising Internet Use, Generational Effects, and Changing Patterns of Political Participation in East Asia

Abstract

This paper examines how regular Internet use affects patterns of political participation, and whether this relationship is consistent across different generations, by using the data from the 3rd wave of the Asian Barometer Survey (ABS). Furthermore, Internet use is associated with lower level of participation, but there is a difference among different generations (under -35s and over 35s). It is suggested that as Internet use becomes universal across different age groups, its effect on patterns of political participation will decline.