Report: Net Users More Politically Informed

Nov. 1, 2004 — -- In this week's Cybershake, we take a look at how the Net is broadening the political debate among Web-surfing Americans. Plus, we take note of a Web site that offers non-partisan information on all the candidates and issues that U.S. voters will need to know for the Nov. 2 elections.

The Internet has become an increasingly important part of American politics -- especially among the electorate.

According to the Pew Research Center for The People & The Press, more than 40 percent of American Internet users have gotten political material on the presidential candidates during this election year. That's more than 50 percent higher than the number of Net users who did so in 2000.

"People who use the Internet -- and especially broadband users -- know more about the candidates; know more about the issues than those who do not use the Internet," says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project. "This is a very good news story for democracy."

And the latest survey from the non-profit research initiative of the Pew research Center, shows U.S. Web surfers aren't just logging in for information to reinforce their own personal viewpoints.

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For example, one in 10 respondents said they were more aware of the negative criticisms than the positive attributes of their candidate of choice.

"They are not using the Internet to screen away information that they disagree with," says Rainie. "They're more familiar with all sorts of arguments, including stuff that they really don't like."

Rainie says most people want unbiased information. But "About a fifth of Americans -- 18 percent -- said they prefer media sources that challenge their biases," he says. Web sites of international news organizations, such as al Jazeera or the BBC, are typical online source of information for these respondents.

But about 30 percent of respondents overall said they have gone to other non-traditional news sources, such as NewsMax.com and MoveOn.org, for information.