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Pew: Citizens turn to Web for government info, data
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04/27/10 12:01 AM ET
Citizens are actually using the data made available by government agencies, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.
Citizens (31 percent) are also taking advantage of social media tools to keep up with government news, and nearly all online adults (82 percent) have used the Internet to find information on a government Web site or to complete a transaction.
The findings reinforce the Obama administration's efforts to make information more available and accessible to citizens. Under a presidential directive, all agencies are required to make a certain amount of data available online. Skeptics have wondered if the moves have been enough to really make a difference in how average citizens interact with the government.
"Just as social media and just-in-time applications have changed the way Americans get information about current events or health information, they are now changing how citizens interact with elected officials and government agencies," said Aaron Smith, Pew Research Specialist. "People are not only getting involved with government in new and interesting ways, they are also using these tools to share their views with others and contribute to the broader debate around government policies."
About a quarter of adults have posted their own comments online about government issues, participated in an online town hall meeting or joined a group that tries to influence policies.
Some 40 percent of adults got online for raw data about government spending: 23 percent have looked into how federal stimulus money is being spent, 22 percent have read or downloaded a piece of legislation, and 14 percent have looked online to see who is contributing to certain elected officials.
But the Internet will not replace traditional means of communicating with the government anytime soon, the report showed. More than half of adults still use the telephone, letter or in-person visit to deal with the government. And 35 percent of adults say they still prefer to pick up the telephone and speak with someone live when they have to get in touch with the government.
Not surprisingly, high-income and well-educated Americans are more likely to access this kind of information online. The survey also found that whites are far more likely than African Americans or Latinos to participate in an online debate concerning government. Those racial differences lessen, though, when it comes to completing basic transactions on government websites.
Minorities also agreed that using tools like Facebook and Twitter are effective ways to get government information out to citizens.
Search engines are the most common starting point for finding government information across the board.
Read the full report here.
Citizens (31 percent) are also taking advantage of social media tools to keep up with government news, and nearly all online adults (82 percent) have used the Internet to find information on a government Web site or to complete a transaction.
The findings reinforce the Obama administration's efforts to make information more available and accessible to citizens. Under a presidential directive, all agencies are required to make a certain amount of data available online. Skeptics have wondered if the moves have been enough to really make a difference in how average citizens interact with the government.
"Just as social media and just-in-time applications have changed the way Americans get information about current events or health information, they are now changing how citizens interact with elected officials and government agencies," said Aaron Smith, Pew Research Specialist. "People are not only getting involved with government in new and interesting ways, they are also using these tools to share their views with others and contribute to the broader debate around government policies."
About a quarter of adults have posted their own comments online about government issues, participated in an online town hall meeting or joined a group that tries to influence policies.
Some 40 percent of adults got online for raw data about government spending: 23 percent have looked into how federal stimulus money is being spent, 22 percent have read or downloaded a piece of legislation, and 14 percent have looked online to see who is contributing to certain elected officials.
But the Internet will not replace traditional means of communicating with the government anytime soon, the report showed. More than half of adults still use the telephone, letter or in-person visit to deal with the government. And 35 percent of adults say they still prefer to pick up the telephone and speak with someone live when they have to get in touch with the government.
Not surprisingly, high-income and well-educated Americans are more likely to access this kind of information online. The survey also found that whites are far more likely than African Americans or Latinos to participate in an online debate concerning government. Those racial differences lessen, though, when it comes to completing basic transactions on government websites.
Minorities also agreed that using tools like Facebook and Twitter are effective ways to get government information out to citizens.
Search engines are the most common starting point for finding government information across the board.
Read the full report here.
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