Online and offline participation in Brazil: relationships and conditionants

In the last decades, democracy has consolidated itself as the best governmental configuration, however, it has been spoken about a crisis of representative democracy that is expressed in a decline in traditional forms of participation and trust in political institutions. Concomitant to this process are the digital technologies that, through the internet, create cyberspace, presenting a new avenue for political and social activism. Instigated by this context, researchers of political behavior has analyzed what behavioral, social and demographic characteristics influence cyber-activism questioning whether they are the same that condition the offline actions. Some authors have concluded that individuals who already participate are more prone to cyber-activism, and the network can strengthen protest modalities. In addition, research points to the centrality of interest in political issues, access to information, education and, in some cases, age in the characterization of digital activists. Given this international framework, this research questions the profile of the Brazilian online activist. For this purpose, the Latin American Public Opinion Project - LAPOP database of the year 2012 is used.