Thierry VEDEL - The Revolution Won’t Be Televised : The Internet, Information and Democracy

Pouvoirs n°119 - La démocratie sous contrôle médiatique - novembre 2006 - p.41-54

While traditional media are often accused of downgrading the quality of information and political debates, the Internet is usually presented as the leaven of a new democracy. Thanks to its functionalities it is said to transform web surfers into enlightened citizens, to offer real discussion forums and to establish a direct dialogue, without any interference, between the government and the governed. However, does such a vision of a democracy revitalized through the power of technology correspond to the political usage of the Internet over the past ten years ? The article tries to answer this question on the basis of the various surveys and studies realized in France and abroad about this topic. Résumé

Référence électonique : Thierry VEDEL, "The Revolution Won’t Be Televised : The Internet, Information and Democracy", Pouvoirs, revue française d’études constitutionnelles et politiques, n°119, 2006, p.41-54. Consulté le 18-02-2012. URL : http://www.revue-pouvoirs.fr/The-Revolution-Won-t-Be-Televised.html