Surfing the Net: A Pathway to Participation for the Politically Uninterested?

Abstract

This article explores whether use of the Internet changes the role that political motivation has traditionally played in classic explanations of participation. We ask if, by reducing so dramatically the costs of political participation, the Internet causes interest in politics to lose importance as a causal factor of participation. We examine this issue analysing a representative survey of the Spanish population which deals with political participation and Internet use. The results show that use of Internet has a direct effect on participation independently of motivation, and that, in order to participate online, skilled Internet users do not need to be motivated or interested in politics.

The Impact of Open Data in the Uk: Complex, Unpredictable, and Political

“…Recent studies indicate that ICTs have a small but significant effect on political behaviour (Boulianne ; Mossberger and Tolbert , p. 218; Nam ). Online activity in the USA has been linked to increased turnout, campaign contributions, and attendance at meetings with some evidence of accidental engagement while surfing (Borge and Cardenal , p. 11; Mossberger and Tolbert , p. 202).…”

“…The third aim is information transmission. Easily available data has the potential to allow users to learn about services, spending, and government activity more easily (Borge and Cardenal , p. 11; McAllister and Gibson 2011). However, it does not reduce the cost of processing the data and it may further skew existing distributions of political knowledge (Borge and Cardenal , p. 11; McAllister and Gibson 2011).…”

“…Easily available data has the potential to allow users to learn about services, spending, and government activity more easily (Borge and Cardenal , p. 11; McAllister and Gibson 2011). However, it does not reduce the cost of processing the data and it may further skew existing distributions of political knowledge (Borge and Cardenal , p. 11; McAllister and Gibson 2011). Moreover, information is rarely interpreted neutrally and even non‐political information is filtered by pre‐existing ‘orientations’ or ‘predispositions’ (James , pp.…”

Party Activism in the Internet Era: Testing for Reinforcement and Mobilization

“…The argument of scholars taking this side is as follows: since participating in politics and accessing and using Internet are related to the same kind of resources (mainly education, but in general the variables related to the socio-economic status), Internet is not likely to mobilize new people into the political process, and we are likely to observe a reinforcement of existing patterns of participation (Hill and Hughes, 1998;Norris, 2000;Margolis and Resnik, 2000). On the other hand, there are those who contend that the Internet is mobilizing people who were previously inactive (Krueger, 2002;Tolbert and McNeal, 2003;Gibson, Lusoli, and Ward, 2005;Anduiza, Gallgo and Cantijoch, 2009;Cantijoch, 2009;Borge and Cardenal, 2011). For example, Krueger (2002) contends that online participation does not requires the traditional resources associated to political participation, but new resources, such as Internet skills, which may increase the mobilization potential of the Internet (Krueger, 2002;Anduiza, Gallego and Cantijoch, 2009).…”

“…For example, Krueger (2002) contends that online participation does not requires the traditional resources associated to political participation, but new resources, such as Internet skills, which may increase the mobilization potential of the Internet (Krueger, 2002;Anduiza, Gallego and Cantijoch, 2009). Others argue that the Internet may have an effect on mobilization by facilitating involuntary exposure to political information (Cantijoch 2009); still others argue that it may affect mobilization by increasing both voluntary and involuntary exposure to e-stimuli and requests for participation (Gibson, Lusoli and Ward, 2005;Borge and Cardenal, 2011).…”