Abstract

This paper explores political communication in the online social network space. This study was carried out to identify systematically, the factors affecting political participation on the internet as an activity by applying the "O1-S-O2-R model," designed to survey the study. The target was male and female adults who were equal to or over the age of 19. A total of 861 respondents were considered for the final analysis to test the research questions. The data were conducted to test research questions by applying the O1-S-O2-R model. Factors affecting awareness of politics on the internet and political act on the internet were empirically analyzed and described. The result of the analyses shows that there is a relation between variables on the predisposition (demographic characteristics, individual characteristics and extent of media use) of internet users to online activity (purpose of political act on the internet, use of political websites and online network activity) in the online political activities. The result proves that factors affecting the direct act of participation in politics through the internet are demographic and individual characteristics, purpose of political act on the internet, use of political websites and awareness of comments on the internet.

Key words: Network society, political communication, O1-S-O2-R model.