How the Internet is Driving the Political Knowledge Gap

Abstract

Democracy requires a basic level of political skill and knowledge among its citizens. Most of the political information that shapes political knowledge is channeled through the mass media. However, it has been argued that the increasing proliferation of media sources is leading to a ‘knowledge gap’ among citizens, with the least politically interested avoiding even minimal exposure to politics. Foremost among the media sources that is driving this change is the internet. Using the unique resource of the Australian Election Study, which has measured the public’s political knowledge as well as their internet use since the late 1990s, we test the hypothesis that the internet is causing an ever-widening knowledge gap. The results provide strong support for the hypothesis. We show that following the election on the internet is becoming more socially concentrated, and that the internet is by far the most important media influence on political knowledge. Between 2001 and 2010 the increasing use of the internet widened the knowledge gap significantly, and on present trends will cause it to double by time of the next election in 2013. The knowledge gap is being widened by voters who are least likely to use the internet to follow the election. The results have major implications for the conduct of election campaigns, and for the ability of citizens to make informed choices in elections.

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