This document summarizes research on internet use and politics in the Czech Republic. It finds that while internet use is widespread, political use of the internet is relatively low. Only a third of Czechs regularly look for local political information online, and 87% have never contacted local politicians via internet technologies. Interviews with Prague organizations revealed the internet is seen as an easy communication tool but not used much for online campaigning or networking. The document concludes that while necessary, the internet alone is not sufficient to significantly impact political life in the Czech Republic.

1. Internet: Hope or Hype?
Jan Sládek, M.A.
Department of Sociology
Charles University in Prague
The Czech Republic

4. 5 facts about czech current
political life in CR
(1) Depolitization
(2) Fragmentarization
(3) Individual strategies preferred to collective
(4) Ngoisation
(5) Withou connection to idelogy, mainly on the local level

5. Data collected in May and June 2014 by a specialized
agency
Method of data collection
◦ CAPI F2F interviews
◦ Stratified random sampling combined with quota sampling
◦ Measures taken to include parts of the population with lower
probability of being interviewed
1316 respondents in the final sample
Weighted sample representative for the population of the
Czech Republic, age 15+

6. Internet Use in CR

7. Reliable iinformation

8. Internet and politics in general
Voting activity
◦ Frequent elections (2010, 2012, 2013x2, 2014x2)
◦ Declining participation, yet municipal rather high
◦ No. 1 reson for non-voting: Disinterest in politics
(45% of nonvoters), no. 2: Not know who to vote
(17%)
¼ states that an active politician is amongst
their close relatives or friends, ½ discusses
politics

11. Internet and local politics
1/3 never looked for local info, 1/3 does so rarely, 1/3 regurarly on
weekly basis
87% never used the ICT to contact local politicians (x direct democracy)

14. 15 Interviews in Prague 1
NGOs, locals, political parties
From 20 to 55+
- Internet seen as an easy way to communicate
- No online campaigning
- Not used for networking
- Rarely FB groups
- Online petitions

15. Internet and political life in CR:
Hype
Low political use
Low trust in the power of the internet
Turning information into action
Internet is necessary yet not sufficient
No „dangerous“ barriers in political use of the Internet