Surfing the Net: A Pathway to Participation for the Politically Uninterested?
Citation:
Borge, R. & Cardenal, A.S. (2012). “Surfing the Net: A Pathway to Participation for the Politically Uninterested?”. In
Policy & Internet, 3 (1). Berkeley: Berkeley Electronic Press. Retrieved April 01, 2011 from http://www.psocommons.org/policyandinternet/vol3/iss1/art3
Work data:
Type of work: Article (academic)
Categories:
e-Democracy | Politics and Political ScienceAbstract:
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.
