Just as in offline politics, the well-off and well-educated are especially likely to participate in online activities that mirror offline forms of engagement. But there are hints that social media may alter this pattern.
Voters expect that the level of public engagement they experienced with Barack Obama during the campaign, much of it occurring online, will continue into the early period of his new administration.
More teens are creating and sharing material on the internet. 28% of online teens have blogs, up from 2004 with growth fueled almost entirely by girls. “Super communicators” rise as email fades as a tool for teens.
Internet users are becoming more aware of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago.