Network Approach to Regime Type and Global Internet Connectedness

Abstract

The current study examines the relationship between regime type and country access to the Internet at both domestic and global levels by conducting longitudinal analyses of economic and social indicators and Internet data between 2002 and 2014. In particular, the authors investigate how a country’s position in the global Internet network is associated with the country’s type of political institution while taking into account its economic growth, population, and education level. The current analysis shows that democracies dominated the global Internet network both in 2002 and in 2014. Finally, the panel regression and network analyses suggest that it is important to consider network characteristics in investigating whether and how a country’s regime type influences the country’s Internet adoption.