“Rejected Bits of Program Code”: Why Notions of “Politics 2.0” Remain (Mostly) Unfulfilled

ABSTRACT Recent conceptualizations of a “Web 2.0” focusing on enabling user-generated content has grown increasingly common in public discourse and among researchers. While hopes have generally been high regarding political use of online interactivity, most research projects on the topic have produced results contrary to these hopes. Most citizens seem to be content with staying consumers, not assuming more active roles. Similarly, most political actors have assumed a somewhat conservative stance to the Internet medium. This article presents a review of research done regarding online political communication and provides further theoretical insights into these patterns of “non-use” by employing structuration theory as developed by Anthony Giddens and Wanda J. Orlikowski.