Publication type
Research Paper
Series Number
E2021/32
Series
Cardiff Economics Working Papers
Authors
Publication date
December 15, 2021
Summary:
We study the impact of broadband penetration on social capital in the UK. Our empirical strategy exploits a technological feature of the telecommunication infrastructure that generated substantial variation in the quality of Internet access across households. The speed of a domestic connection rapidly decays with the distance of a user's line from the network's node serving the area. Merging information on the topology of the network with geocoded longitudinal data about individual social capital from 1997 to 2017, we show that access to fast Internet caused a signifcant decline in civic and political engagement. Overall, our results suggest that broadband penetration crowded out several dimensions of social capital.
Subjects
Link
https://ideas.repec.org/p/cdf/wpaper/2021-32.html
Related Publications
-
Broadband Internet and social capital
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Journal Article - 20220215
-
Researchers draw link between internet speed, political participation
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Media - 20220124
-
Faster Internet speed linked to lower civic participation, claims study
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Media - 20220124
-
Faster internet speeds linked to lower civic engagement in UK
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Media - 20220123
-
Broadband Internet and social capital
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Research Paper - 20211115
-
Broadband Internet and social capital
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Research Paper - 20180915
-
Broadband Internet and social capital
Andrea Geraci, Mattia Nardotto, Tommaso Reggiani, Fabio Sabatini,Research Paper - 20180601
#547116