Only every forth Pole reads articles about politics on the internet and most Poles do not support e-voting.
In September 2009, more than 40 per cent of Poles had access to the internet. However, only a small group of Polish internet users showed interest in virtual politics according to a report by SMG/KRC.
Over the last six months, only three per cent of Poles visited political parties’ web sites, one per cent visited president’s official web site and nine per cent have watched a video online about politics.
Poles are not really interested in blogs written by politicians, either. In their opinion a person who knows how to best communicate with voters through the internet is a controversial Civic Platform deputy Janusz Palikot, author of a widely read blog about politics, in which he fiercely criticizes the opposition.
Palikot, whose blog entries have caused many public political rows, is regarded the best e-politician by 14 per cent of respondents. Five per cent of Poles think that Prime Minister Donald Tusk is also active on the e-political stage (which might strike some as surprising because the PM does not write a blog or even have his own website) and only two per cent of respondents claim that the more active politician in the e-sphere is rather President Lech Kaczynski and his twin brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the Law and Justice party.
Poles do not communicate with politicians through the internet. Four per cent of internet users comment on articles about politics, three per cent download free wallpapers and screen savers provided by political parties and only two per cent send e-mails to politicians.
Only 35 per cent of internet users would like to vote by internet.
The survey was conducted on 24-29 September over a representative sample of 960 people. (mg/mmj)
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza