How the Use of the Internet Affects the Attitudes of Serbian Citizens about Public Institutions
How the Use of the Internet Affects the Attitudes of Serbian Citizens about Public Institutions

Author(s): Alma Dobardžić
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Udruženje ekonomista i menadžera Balkana
Keywords: Internet use; Trust; Public institutions; Attitudes
Summary/Abstract: There is no doubt that digital literacy and the increasing use of the Internet are making economies more productive. The free flow of information and the ease with which it can be accessed means that information sources such as the Internet have a great influence on the formation of public opinion and the making of individual decisions. The article investigates how the use of the Internet and the trust Serbian citizens show towards state institutions are connected. For this purpose, data from The European Social Survey (ESS) were used, in which more than 3,500 residents of Serbia were surveyed and the attitudes of Internet users towards the state of the economy, democracy, the work of the national government, the education and health system, as well as trust in the legal system and the police were examined. Respondents were categorized according to the frequency of Internet use, age and gender. The results of the descriptive statistical analysis showed that the more often they use the Internet, the less trust residents have in the state. If we consider that young people spend the most time on the Internet, it is easy to assume that losing trust in institutions and responsible people can have very negative long-term consequences for the entire society.

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