The document discusses whether existing theories of public interest groups and collective action are sufficient to describe groups and public engagement on the internet. It argues that cases like MoveOn.org in 2004, the 2008 Obama campaign, and activism around net neutrality suggest not. These examples imply that political science theories do not fully capture how online technologies are changing the nature of social movements and public participation in unanticipated ways. A revised view of collective action may be needed, though it is unclear if online movements should be considered public interest groups in the traditional sense. This has implications for understanding public opinion and policy issues relating to the internet.

1. Public Action Online
Do theories about public interest groups and collective action theory
suffice when describing groups and the public on the Internet?

2. Public Action Online
Do theories about public interest groups and collective action theory
suffice when describing groups and the public on the Internet?
Online activities around the presidential elections, such as Move On in
2004 and the Obama campaign in 2008, as well as the activities
around Net Neutrality suggest not.

3. Public Action Online
Do theories about public interest groups and collective action theory
suffice when describing groups and the public on the Internet?
Online activities around the presidential elections, such as Move On in
2004 and the Obama campaign in 2008, as well as the activities
around Net Neutrality suggest not.
These case studies imply a changing nature of the public and of social
movements that have established political science theories do not
sufficiently capture.

4. Trends
research focusing on polarization and fragmentation of
media ... but also fragmentation of the public
boundaries dissolving ... or at least shifting
conventional meanings of ‘democracy’ and ‘citizenship’ are
being questioned and rethought

5. Collective Action Theory
Unless the number of individuals in a group is quite small,
or unless there is coercion or some other special device to
make individuals act in their common interest, rational,
self-interested individuals will not act to achieve their
common or group interests.
Mancur Olson, 1971 [1965]

6. Collective Action Theory
Unless the number of individuals in a group is quite small,
or unless there is coercion or some other special device to
make individuals act in their common interest, rational,
self-interested individuals will not act to achieve their
common or group interests.
Mancur Olson, 1971 [1965]
New technology allows individuals to better obscure their
activities/identities, increases the benefits of free riding, and
increases the benefits of going it alone.
It also appears to reduce costs relevant to collective action as
well as the disadvantages of being large.
Lupia & Sin, 2003

8. Obama campaign example
amount raised and # of donors

9. Net Neutrality, and Battle to Save the Internet

10. Interest Groups
Governing occurs through elections combined with continuous
political competition between individuals or parties or both are
the critical methods of social control.
The number of interest groups in operation, the mixture of
group types, and the level and direction of political mobilization
in the U.S. ... will largely be determined by the composition and
accessibility of the system’s major patrons of political action.
Walker, 1983

11. Interest Groups
Governing occurs through elections combined with continuous
political competition between individuals or parties or both are
the critical methods of social control.
The number of interest groups in operation, the mixture of
group types, and the level and direction of political mobilization
in the U.S. ... will largely be determined by the composition and
accessibility of the system’s major patrons of political action.
Walker, 1983
Research on interest groups today neglects the important task of
analyzing historical patterns and secular, long-term changes...
Tichenor, 2005

12. Are groups like Electronic Frontier Foundation and Save the
Internet functioning as an interest group?
Is it a public?
What form of government do they imagine?

13. Initial Conclusions
A revised collective action theory suffices ...

14. Initial Conclusions
A revised collective action theory suffices ...
But it is less clear that we can consider open source
movements public interest groups in the classical sense.

15. Initial Conclusions
A revised collective action theory suffices ...
But it is less clear that we can consider open source
movements public interest groups in the classical sense.
This has implications for public opinion and foreign
policy ... particularly around the Internet and ICT in general.