Under such conditions of supply, there is no reason to think that those who prefer infotainment to politically relevant information will behave differently on the internet. Even if more politically relevant information or data is available, the problem remains on the demand side: frequently, the good that is most scarce is not information, but attention. (..)
But perhaps the most important reason why we should not have too-high expectations of the positive impact of the internet on democracy is that although the internet may indeed change the style of political communication as well as pressure strategies to influence office-holders, most developments on the internet have no formal connection to political decision-making. The internet may affect how we discuss politics and how we try to have an impact on decisions that affect us, and it will also increasingly influence how organizations or individuals are consulted, but it does not fundamentally alter the structures of policy-making.

(Yannis Papadopoulos "Democracy in Crisis?")

Today, the internet is increasingly used by public authorities as a tool for the online consultation of citizens and organizations, including outside the circle of the ‘usual suspects’. Democracy, however, is not defined only by one’s capacity to express one’s preferences, but primarily by an equal capacity to participate in converting social inputs into political outputs and thus to contribute to decision-making. Online and more general public consultations are valued by citizens, but the question remains whether there is actually ‘anybody listening’ (Coleman and Blumler, 2009: 189).

(Yannis Papadopoulos "Democracy in Crisis?")