Is the Internet Correlated with Polarization? A Study of the Relationship between Internet Usage and Polarization

Abstract

The internet as a communication medium benefits internet users by providing experiences difficult or impossible to encounter in real life. Nonetheless, it can also limit individual exposure to homogeneous political viewpoints and could be a primary reason for political polarization. Following the approach of Boxell et al. (2017), I examine the impact of internet use on different polarization indexes using the American National Election Survey datasets. I further substantiate the role of education and political interests in fostering political polarization and provide recommendations for mitigating political polarization.