Interest Group Activism on the Web: The Case of Environmental Organizations

This study evaluates interest group activity on the Internet, addressing two sets of questions. First, has the Internet allowed small or poorly-funded groups to compete equally with well-resourced organizations? Second, to what extent do group characteristics explain their online activities? Using a sample of 200 environmental groups, this study evaluates which Web sites receive the most exposure and identifies features facilitating information dissemination and public participation. The results indicate that well-resourced groups receive greater Web site traffic and inbound links and are more likely to use all Web site features. Additionally, membership organizations are more likely than non-membership organizations to fund-raise and issue action alerts.