Faster Internet Speeds Linked To Lower Civic Engagement in UK (theguardian.com) 39
Faster internet access has significantly weakened civic participation in Britain, according to a study that found involvement in political parties, trade unions and volunteering fell as web speeds rose. From a report: Volunteering in social care fell by more than 10% when people lived closer to local telecoms exchange hubs and so enjoyed faster web access. Involvement in political parties fell by 19% with every 1.8km increase in proximity to a hub. By contrast, the arrival of fast internet had no significant impact on interactions with family and friends. The analysis of behaviour among hundreds of thousands of people led by academics from Cardiff University and Sapienza University of Rome found faster connection speeds may have reduced the likelihood of civic engagement among close to 450,000 people -- more than double the estimated membership of the Conservative party. They found that as internet speeds rose between 2005 and 2018, time online "crowded out" other forms of civic engagement.
The study's authors have also speculated that the phenomenon may have helped fuel populism as people's involvement with initiatives for "the common good," which they say are effectively "schools of democracy" where people learn the benefit of cooperation, has declined. Other studies have shown that social media engagement has strengthened other kinds of civic engagement, for example by helping to organise protests and fuelling an interest in politics, even if it does not manifest in traditional forms of participation. However, politics conducted online has been found to be more susceptible to "filter bubbles," which limit participants' exposure to opposing views and so foster polarisation.
The study's authors have also speculated that the phenomenon may have helped fuel populism as people's involvement with initiatives for "the common good," which they say are effectively "schools of democracy" where people learn the benefit of cooperation, has declined. Other studies have shown that social media engagement has strengthened other kinds of civic engagement, for example by helping to organise protests and fuelling an interest in politics, even if it does not manifest in traditional forms of participation. However, politics conducted online has been found to be more susceptible to "filter bubbles," which limit participants' exposure to opposing views and so foster polarisation.
Go away! (Score:4, Insightful)
Batin'!
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Baiting for Brave New World [wikipedia.org].
As forecast in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (Score:1)
Stay at home all day with your personalized VR soap operas. Be satisfied and compliant in society. Actually information and engagement leads to dissatisfaction with the ruling class. Instead get pretend conflict like Tucker Swanson Carlson and his all dancing gogo-boot M&Ms
We're raising Generation Brawndo. And we're electing imbeciles like Lauren Boebert, snivelers like Ted Cruz, sociopaths like Jim Jordan and Gaetz, and deceivers like Mitch McConnell.
Casual observers of the growth of the internet... (Score:2)
No shit...has no one else seen the breakdown of a lot of previous societal norms and interactions since what about '95 or so?
Are they just now catching onto what most anyone else has seen with just casual observation over the past very few decades?
Correlation versus causation (Score:5, Interesting)
Too lazy to check the research... but seems like this cold be kind of clear.
It's kind of like the Radiolab episode that can tell you what city you live in based on walking speed. As it turns out bigger cities often have people who walk faster... but does living in a bigger city mean you are forced to walk faster?
If you live in a city with faster internet, it's safe to assume there are more activities to partake in other than joining a political party... as such, is it really online time or Internet connectivity causing this?
I am really not sure myself but the summary seems skimp on details for any rigorous argument...
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The best way for Amazon to suppress Unions while also making people buy more of their stuff is to speed up their Kuiper efforts and provide fast satellite internet for everyone. People would even thank Amazon. It's a win-win-win!
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Yes, it's a risk reading the report rather than the paper itself, but "a 6% reduction in participation from 2010 to 2017 for each 1.8km closer to the local exchange someone lived" sounds like they're basing it on location rather than the actual speed available - which will correlate pretty well to "living in a big city". Also with fibre to the premises, distance to the exchange is not that relevant - unlike copper xDSL services, the speed doesn't drop with distance. And there are a small number of very rura
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Re:Correlation versus causation (Score:5, Interesting)
Remember the revolution in Egypt back in 2011?
Months of unrest and grumbling did not make the government fall. The president decides to cut off the internet and, 5 days later, the government falls.
People were simply too busy liking and sharing statuses to actually protest in the streets.
Re: Correlation versus causation (Score:2)
Or you might say that the people could tolerate anything but being cut from cat videos.
That was the last straw!
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Representative democracy is a sham.
Maybe in your country.
Re:Correlation versus causation (Score:4, Insightful)
Maybe people who are better connected see less value in joining a political party, and more in grassroots efforts. Maybe the study just didn't measure their engagement very well.
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Maybe people who are better connected see less value in joining a political party, and more in grassroots efforts. Maybe the study just didn't measure their engagement very well.
Well, going online tells you under no circumstances do you ever want to join a political party in the UK. Aforementioned political parties have been spending their time trying to destroy trade unions so they've been marginalised. If I wanted to hear some extremist blowhard wheeze his way through how young people, gays, the EU and other things they just don't like are destroying his beloved Britain... I can get that online (or listen to Piers Morgan). No need to go to a political rally.
Or maybe these acti
Re: Correlation versus causation (Score:3)
People are spending more time online raising awareness and spending less time actually doing things. Why tackle hard problems when you can be outraged about tweets and then applaud yourself when a politician expresses some vague platitude before the issue dies off?
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If you have found something to do online no need to engage in real world activities you believe you are socialising until you realise you are not.
bogus metrics (Score:2, Troll)
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Visit the surface and tell us when (if) you make it back.
Okay I'll support a tax hike (Score:1)
Okay I'll support a tax hike - as long money will be spent to wire the shit-hole city rlsilvergun lives in!
To understand this logic (Score:2)
Glad I saw this! (Score:2)
Depending how you interpret (Score:2)
It could mean that higher speeds are typically available for richer neighborhoods, meaning that it's really a question of how well-off you are versus how fast the speed is.
OR
It could mean that 5G is damaging people's brains, leading to a disinterest in civic matters.
OR
Insert your own garbage theory here
Re:Depending how you interpret (Score:4, Insightful)
Realistically, it could mean that people who are not much engaged go looking for faster internet, and people who are more engaged don't care because they have other things to do with their time than watch stupid cat videos.
Re: Depending how you interpret (Score:2)
This post is underrated
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People are too busy watching porn at home. Obviously. And faster internet means more porn. Obviously.
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THIS is the real answer, right here.
Obvious (Score:2)
People who spend more time on the internet are more involved in porn, petty squabbles, fads, and are more easily propagandized. At least that is how people in my social circle are as web access expands. I remember when the internet was going to expand access to real knowledge. Now it is all about advertising and manipulation. I pray for the EMP
Small wonder (Score:2)
Since I got a Gig a second, I go on strike online, before it was easier just to go there with a sign.
But seriously, people are watching Ozark, no time for protests.
Praise the FSM (Score:2)
... of course, in much the same way that the number of pirates declining is the cause of global warming.
Sounds about right + society is overrated (Score:2)
I guess that sounds about right from a statistical point of view. If you don't have a fast Internet connection you may be more likely to look for entertainment elsewhere.
Personally, a fast broadband is all I need to exist happily. Society is an overrated concept and I could happily live at the end of the world, not seeing anyone ever, in peace and quiet, if only I had a reliable and connection
meh (Score:2)
If only they used it before the Brexit vote (Score:2)
I could name a hundred more correlating factors.. (Score:1)