The effect of the Internet on corruption awareness and corruption incidence in the EU
Creators: name: Hunady, Jan
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2019
Subjects: subject: 140214 Public Economics- Publically Provided Goods
subject: FOS: Economics and business
subject: FOS: Economics and business
subject: 140213 Public Economics- Public Choice
subject: 140215 Public Economics- Taxation and Revenue
subject: 160509 Public Administration
subject: FOS: Political science
subject: FOS: Political science
subject: 160510 Public Policy
subject: 160609 Political Theory and Political Philosophy
subject: 160603 Comparative Government and Politics
subject: 160606 Government and Politics of Asia and the Pacific
subject: 160699 Political Science not elsewhere classified
subject: Economics
subject: 140210 International Economics and International Finance
subject: 80709 Social and Community Informatics
subject: FOS: Media and communications
subject: FOS: Media and communications
subject: 80703 Human Information Behaviour
subject: 80704 Information Retrieval and Web Search
subject: 80609 Information Systems Management
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: 80699 Information Systems not elsewhere classified
subject: Information Systems
subject: 89999 Information and Computing Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: 100599 Communications Technologies not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
subject: 160504 Crime Policy
subject: 160201 Causes and Prevention of Crime
subject: FOS: Law
subject: FOS: Law

description: It is obvious that the Internet connection brings several unquestionable benefits to people and society. However, not all of them can be seen at first sight. This study examines the potential effect of Internet usage on corruption awareness as well as experience with corruption and actual reporting of corruption cases. We conducted mainly IV probit and 2SLS regression based on the data from the Eurobarometer survey. We have found that intensity of Internet usage seems to be a significant factor affecting respondents’ knowledge about where to report the corruption. Internet usage appears to have a positive effect on the accuracy of corruption extent estimation in a country. Moreover, our results strongly suggest that those using the Internet frequently are more likely to report experiences of corruption. In line with this result, promoting of Internet usage and enabling Internet access can be seen as a potential anti-corruption tool. Our findings have several important implications for anti-corruption and bribery policies. Due to the fact that the initial installation cost proves to be the essential problem, the effective strategy should also include the subsidies for Internet access.Key points for practitioners:•Respondents who are using the Internet more often have a better awareness of corruption, and they are more often willing to report the corruption.•The public support of internet usage seems to be a potentially effective anti-corruption policy.•Initial installation cost seems to be the most significant barrier to Internet adoption and usage.<br>