The Internet - Political Turn-On or Turn-off? John Curtice Strathclyde University/ National Centre for Social Research

The Project Modules on British Social Attitudes 2003 and 2005; plus previous info from 2000 Examine relationship between internet use and (1) political engagement, (2) social capital Main N=3297 (2003); 3167 (2005) 2005 module fielded after general election

The Structure Has access to the internet helped to increase the political engagement of individual voters? What role did the internet play in the dissemination of information in the 2005 election?

A turned on voter… …trusts politicians & government …participates in politics

Why might internet turn people on? Greater transparency and availability of information Lower cost - do it from home Lower cost - easier to organise Easier to find fellow adherents

The Problem If at one point in time internet users are more trusting and/or active… …is that because they use the internet or, because they were more trusting and/or active in the first place?

Trust by Length of Use

System Efficacy by Use

Personal Efficacy by Use

MPs lose touch

Politics too complicated

Interest in Politics

Interest in Politics

Political Participation

Gone on demo

Contacted MP

Conclusion (Already) politically active were early internet adopters and use it as one way of pursuing their interest But internet does not (substantially) increase how many people are politically ‘engaged’

But does this miss the point? Argument assumes that internet only has a direct impact website -> user Possibility of two-step flow. website -> user -> others Fragmentation means two-step flows now only way any medium has an impact?

Acquiring information

The Usual Suspects? Traditional Digital Men √ Educated Strong ID Interested in Politics √ √

Election Talk

Who Talks Most? Interested in Politics 68.38 Age - (younger) 55.04 Education (more) 34.35 Strong party id 8.99 Female 5.74

Do Digital Users Talk? Traditional User 224.24 Digital User 36.16

Conclusion Still the case that few people use the internet to find out about politics Those that do are mostly the usual suspects Nevertheless digital users are particularly talkative - and so add a little more to the two-step flow of information