This article in 'First Monday', v.12, n.8, 2007, by Mark E. Kann, Jeff Berry, Connor Gant and Phil Zager, looks at the contributions of American youth to online worlds, and how that participation functions as possible gateways to increased political participation.

Involvement in three online worlds (participatory culture, political consumerism and civic engagement) would seem to suggest that the Internet creates opportunities for an involvement in politics, and that those worlds provide a measure of motivation, facilitation and invitation for that involvement, but the authors suggest it remains an open question as to whether or not full use of these opportunities will be made. See:

http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue12_8/kann/index.html.

Source: LGAQ's Youth Policy Project Officer