Informatization Policy (정보화정책)

National Information Society Agency (한국지능정보사회진흥원)
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Impact of Digital Divide on Online Political Participation: With Focus on the Gap of Operational Skills of Digital Device Users

온라인 정치참여에서 디지털 정보격차의 영향: 디지털 기기 이용자의 기기 운용 기술 격차를 중심으로

  • Jang, Changki (Graduate School of Public Policy and Information Technology, Seoul National University of Science and Technology) ;
  • Sung, WookJoon (Graduate School of Public Policy and Information Technology, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)
  • Received : 2019.12.02
  • Accepted : 2020.01.18
  • Published : 2020.03.31
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Abstract

This study empirically analyzes the impact of digital divide between digital device usage motivation and operational skills on online political participation. The analysis was performed using the National Information Society Agency's 2018 digital divide survey data from September to December 2018 and applying the Heckman selection model to control the sample selection bias that may occur between internet users and non-users. The result shows the gap in motivation and device operational skills of individual citizens using digital devices has significant impact on online political participation. In socio-economic terms, it shows the age, education level and regional factors also have significant impact on online political participation, while gender and income levels do not. This study holds significance in that there are different patterns of digital divide between digital devices, identifying the motivation to use a digital device as an important factor for mobile device users, and the device operational skills, for personal computer users.

본 연구에서는 디지털 기기 이용을 위한 동기와 운용 기술 차원에서의 디지털 정보격차가 온라인 정치참여에 미치는 영향에 대해 실증적으로 분석하였다. 한국정보화진흥원에서 2018년 9월부터 12월까지 실시한 2018 디지털 정보격차 실태조사 데이터를 사용하여, 인터넷 이용자와 비이용자 간에 발생할 수 있는 표본선택의 편의를 통제하기 위해 Heckman 선택모형을 이용한 분석을 수행하였다. 연구결과, 디지털 기기를 이용하여 개별 시민들이 원하는 활동을 하기 위한 동기와 기기 운용 기술에 있어서의 격차는 온라인 정치참여에 유의한 영향이 나타났다. 또한 사회경제적 수준에서 연령, 교육수준 및 지역적 요인은 온라인 정치참여에 유의한 영향을 나타내지만, 성별 및 소득수준에서는 유의한 영향이 나타나지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 디지털 기기간 정보격차의 양상에 차이가 있다는 것을 밝혀냈다는 것에 의의가 있다. 즉, 모바일 기기 이용자의 경우에는 디지털 기기 이용 동기가, 개인용 컴퓨터 이용자의 경우에는 기기 운용 기술이 중요한 요인으로 식별되었다.

Keywords

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