A Digital Divide in Political Participation : Exploring Antecedents and Effects of Online Political Participation

Early on, optimistic observers speculated that the Internet might bolster political participation, as it provides access to a wealth of information and facilitates political conversation and association. Yet, digital divide research was able to show that not all citizens benefit equally from the opportunities provided by new media. A divide in Internet use and engagement might therefore propound pre-existing inequalities in political participation. Based on a survey conducted among Internet users in Germany, we analyze the effect of Internet use on online and offline political participation. We test for socio-demographic antecedents of participation. Finally, based on social cognitive theory, we analyze the scope and form of the digital divide in political participation. We find that Internet use simultaneously amplifies and mitigates pre-existing participation divides, depending on the socio-demographic group under consideration.