The Special Case of Online Activism

Previous scholarship has offered mixed opinions on how online activism will change patterns of political participation. Surveys of Americans in 2008 and 2012 provide empirical evidence on how people use the internet as a method of political participation. In some instances, internet activism substitutes for traditional offline forms of participation. But the opportunity for online participation also increases the active share of the public. As with other participation modes, the better educated are more likely to use online activity, which can further widen the participation gap. Social media are further changing how citizens participate in the political process by connecting individuals with shared political interests into communities of action.