Lost in translation: Why civic online efforts in Britain have failed to engage young women from low socioeconomic backgrounds

Abstract

Politicians, academia and media are concerned about young people’s apparent disengagement from institutional politics. To address this malaise, politicians have invited young citizens to join the public sphere through civic websites — with mixed results. Among young people in Britain, young women from low socioeconomic status backgrounds are among the least politically engaged. They use new media differently than other groups of young people. This article addresses the responses of these young women to public sector, Internet-based content, and analyses their media use and political participation. It reveals a communicative disjunction between politicians and the young women. The findings suggest that current public sector civic website approaches aimed at young people in general are ineffective in reaching these young women. It is concluded that four factors need to be considered if aiming at creating a public environment that is conducive to voluntary participation and the contribution of these young women. These factors are: (1) technology; (2) public representation; (3) education; (4) media genres and language.