The consumption of e-democracy in Britain

Wainer LusoliUniversity of Chesterwww.lusoli.info

E-democracy is…

‘a general concept covering a variety of visions of how electronic media could be used to facilitate more direct and equitable participation in politics’

(Dutton, 1992)

Attitudes vs. behaviour

High citizens’ hopes for ICTs

Low uptake of the Internet for political aims

Social stratification (e.g. reinforcement)

European optimism about technologies, 1991-2002Source: Gaskell et al. 2003

411834Voting in national elections via the Internet

343127Regular government e-mail bulletins on policy issues of interest to you

263234Government online polling on policy issues

193736Access to all Govt services via the Internet

252543Being able to comment via e-mail to the Parliament on major laws being discussed

193142All MPs having web sites

192844All MPs using e-mail addresses

Would not like to see

(%)

Don't mind (%)

Would like to see (%)

Support for e-government and e-democracy featuresSource: Ward et al, December 2004

A reality check

December 20028 % of British public engaged in any

online political activity December 2004

1 % of British public contacted their MP online

May 200517 % of British public used the

Internet as a source of information about the election

Individuals who used the Internet in the last three months to obtain information from public authority websites.

Source: Eurostat, EU-15 — 2003

Prospective uses of Internet

Source: Lusoli at al. 2005

10% 20% 30% 40%

Percentage of prosepctive users

Education

Family / friends

Purchases / banking

News / information

Work

Other reason

DK

Politics / government

The way ahead?

Increasing public expectations for more online activity by UK institutions

Technology matters - long-term internet and broadband users

Issues matter rather than politics per se

Institutions matter: devolved assemblies, local best practice

Ahhh, youth…

The unlikely setting…Liaisons Committee, 8 February 2005

Q103 Mr Allan: You have something of a reputation of being a technophobe on a personal level, is that fair?Mr Blair: I am afraid that is fair actually, yes.

Q104 Mr Allan: It is. Have you ever visited the multi-million pound central government website that you have set up to get us all to use these new electronic government facilities?Mr Blair: I think that is a very unfair question. The answer is no.

Q105 Mr Allan: Do you know the address of this multi-million pound project?Mr Blair: No.

Q106 Mr Allan: Your head of e-government, Ian Watmore, would be able to tell you all about it.Mr Blair: That is exactly why delegation is such an important part of the job of a prime minister.

Online and offline circulation of British Newspapers

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

Newspapers

Cir

cu

lati

on

Print Jan-2005 Online (different dates)