Internet and Politics: Evidence from UK Local Elections and Local Government Policies

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gavazza, Alessandro; Nardotto, Mattia; Valletti, Tommaso M.
• 署名单位: University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; KU Leuven; Imperial College London; University of Rome Tor Vergata
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMIC STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6527
• DOI: 10.1093/restud/rdy028
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 2092-2135
• 关键词: newspaper entry; media; BIAS; COMPETITION; education; selection; DEMOCRACY; suffrage; turnout; press

摘要

We empirically study the effects of broadband internet diffusion on local election outcomes and on local government policies using rich data from the U.K. Our analysis shows that the internet has displaced other media with greater news content (i.e. radio and newspapers), thereby decreasing voter turnout, most notably among less-educated and younger individuals. In turn, we find suggestive evidence that local government expenditures and taxes are lower in areas with greater broadband diffusion, particularly expenditures targeted at less-educated voters. Our findings are consistent with the idea that voters' information plays a key role in determining electoral participation, government policies, and government size.