Democratic_Support Data

This study investigates how information environment quality (IEQ), encompassing misinformation, online censorship, and cybersecurity capacities, shapes citizens’ attitudes toward democracy and digital freedoms. Employing multilevel models with World Values Survey and Digital Society Project data, we find that support for digital democracy aligns with broader democratic values. Furthermore, the findings reveal an indirect pathway: while IEQ dimensions do not directly impact individuals’ general democratic support, a significant indirect pathway was identified: IEQ influences general democratic support by first affecting individuals' attitudes toward digital democracy. Reduced online censorship and enhanced cybersecurity capacities robustly strengthen citizens’ support for digital democracy. However, a counterintuitive but statistically insignificant result is that less misinformation is linked to weaker support for digital democracy attitudes. These complex patterns underscore the importance of safeguarding online civil liberties and maintaining an open information environment to reinforce digital and general democratic values.

本研究探讨了信息环境质量（Information Environment Quality，IEQ）——涵盖虚假信息、网络审查与网络安全能力——如何塑造公民对民主与数字自由的态度。研究采用世界价值观调查（World Values Survey）与数字社会项目（Digital Society Project）的数据构建多层模型，结果显示公众对数字民主的支持与更广泛的民主价值观高度契合。此外，研究结果揭示了一条间接作用路径：尽管信息环境质量的各维度并未直接影响个体的整体民主支持度，但存在一条显著的间接路径——信息环境质量首先通过影响个体对数字民主的态度，进而作用于其整体民主支持度。降低网络审查力度与提升网络安全能力，能够显著且稳健地增强公民对数字民主的支持。然而存在一个违反直觉但统计上不显著的结果：更少的虚假信息反而与较弱的数字民主支持态度相关联。这些复杂的研究结果凸显了维护网络公民自由与开放信息环境，对于强化数字民主与整体民主价值观的重要意义。