Utilizing state–society relations as a theoretic framework, this study investigates whether the Internet is used to facilitate or impede democratization in authoritarian regimes. The present paper uses governance practice as the mediating mechanism, along with a regime's degree of authoritarianism as a moderator, to measure the direct and indirect effects of the Internet on democratization. This research found that the Internet can be mobilized to suppress political freedom in authoritarian regimes, while at the same time reinforcing the legitimacy of the regime's basis—both of these deter democratization. The Internet, as a tool, must be complemented by democratic deliberation to fully generate democratization.

中文翻译：

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信息和通信技术对威权政权（去）民主化的不同影响

本研究利用国家-社会关系作为理论框架，调查互联网是否被用来促进或阻碍威权政权的民主化。本文以治理实践为中介机制，以政权的威权主义程度为中介，来衡量互联网对民主化的直接和间接影响。这项研究发现，可以动员互联网来压制威权政权的政治自由，同时加强政权基础的合法性——这两者都阻碍了民主化。互联网作为一种工具，必须辅之以民主协商，才能充分产生民主化。