The Internet as a Tool for Democracy? A Survey of Non-profit Internet Decision-makers and Web Users

Abstract

"Although research has urged scholars and practitioners to develop the Internet as a democratic tool, little research has examined how users actually use the Internet and how the Internet is conceptualized by those who create its content particularly in the non profit sector where questions of democracy, interconnected communication and information gathering are often central to survival. This research surveys 688 people associated with non profit organizations in the United States to better understand their perceptions and uses of the Internet as a tool for social change."