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Surfing the Net: A Pathway to Participation for the Politically Uninterested?
Author(s) -
Borge Rosa,
Cardenal Ana S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
policy and internet
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.281
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1944-2866
DOI - 10.2202/1944-2866.1099
Subject(s) - the internet , politics , order (exchange) , public relations , population , political science , internet privacy , internet users , sociology , business , world wide web , computer science , law , demography , finance
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.