MPs' internet

In: Osterreichische Zeitschrift fur Politikwissenschaft, Issue 2, p. 145-160

Abstract

The debate about the 'electronic democracy' has so far focused predominant on technical potentials on the one hand and citizens? exposure to interactive political communication channels on the other. In contrast, the 'supply side', i.e. the internet activities of political actors and especially their motives, has relatively rarely been investigated. Against this backdrop we have conducted a representative survey among Austrian national and regional MPs which investigate their attitudes toward the internet. Our results demonstrate that a majority of the delegates have already become Internet-literate. Yet, we find an age-related 'digital divide' crossing parliamentarian RCWS on the national and regional level. Adapted from the source document.