Pew Internet & American Life Project published a study on the Internet & Civic Engagement. Here’s their overview:

Political and civic involvement have long been dominated by those with high levels of income and education, leading some advocates to hope that internet-based engagement might alter this pattern. However, a new report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project shows that the internet is not changing the fundamental socio-economic character of civic engagement in America. When it comes to online activities such as contributing money, contacting a government official or signing an online petition, the wealthy and well-educated continue to lead the way.

Still, there are hints that the new forms of civic engagement anchored in blogs and social networking sites could alter long-standing patterns. Some 19% of internet users have posted material online about political or social issues or used a social networking site for some form of civic or political engagement. And this group of activists is disproportionately young.

Here’s the thing: people who engaged in the ol’ fashioned way are disproportionately older (in fact, as a group seniors vote a lot more than any other age group). However, people plugged in to Web 2.0 are disproportionately younger.  Can this be an opportunity to bring a balance in civic engagement?

Milton and Halton (and other Canadian municipalities) really should investigate how to use social networking sites and other Web 2.0 tools to better engage with their residents.