Internet and Politics: Evidence from U.K. Local Elections and Local Government Policies

Alessandro Gavazza, Mattia Nardotto and Tommaso Valletti

No 1691, Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin from DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research

Abstract: 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 suggests 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.

Keywords: Internet; newspaper; media; elections; policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C50 D72 L86 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 50 p.
Date: 2017
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-cta, nep-ict, nep-pay, nep-pol, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.566566.de/dp1691.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Internet and Politics: Evidence from U.K. Local Elections and Local Government Policies (2019)
Working Paper: Internet and politics: evidence from U.K. local elections and local government policies (2019)
Working Paper: Internet and Politics: Evidence from U.K. Local Elections and Local Government Policies (2017)
Working Paper: Internet and Politics: Evidence from U.K. Local Elections and Local Government Policies (2015)
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