Social information behavior and the democratic process: Information poverty, normative behavior, and electronic government in the United States

Electronic government (e-government) is the provision of government information and services through the Internet. This new manifestation of government has the potential to enhance the democratic process and increase involvement with government. However, if e-government usage is limited in certain segments of society, it is not achieving is egalitarian potential. Understanding reasons why people do not use e-government will facilitate the development of a more inclusive e-government that better fulfills its potential to deliver information to all citizens and increase participation in the democratic process. This article examines how two phenomena of information behavior, information poverty and normative behavior, may help to explain why certain groups have chosen not to participate in e-government.