Pew and statistical rhetoric
Talk about the Pew Research Centre report entitled The Internet and Civic Engagement (in the USA) is all over the blogosphere. There is no surprise in the report's inference that online opportunities have not diminished the overall political disenfranchisement of the population. I continue to believe that technology is appropriated in line with prevailing social and power relations. Commentary about the article complaining that the Internet continues to serve the rich is just plain rich. While it may have ever-broadening reach, there is nothing categorically democratic or egalitarian about the Internet, as much as some would like to believe. More:
Just under one in five internet users (19%) have posted material about political or social issues or a used a social networking site for some form of civic or political engagement. Some 37% of internet users aged 18-29 use blogs or social networking sites as a venue for political or civic involvement..."As much as I'd like to believe them, I'm sceptical about some of the statistics. I wonder whether everything in their measuring cups amounts to meaningful involvement or issues that can be qualitatively distinguished as political.
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