Surfing to help? An empirical analysis of Internet use and volunteering in 27 European societies

With the spread of the Internet, people are more connected than ever before. Against this background, we evaluate the link between Internet use and volunteering as a rather unexplored aspect of social life. Comparing 27 European societies and using data from the Eurobarometer, we show that Internet use is positively related to the probability of undertaking unpaid work in most voluntary organizations. However, our main result has to be qualified with respect to group-specific effects. First, Internet use seems to elevate less educated and unemployed peoples’ propensity to volunteer. Thus, using Internet technologies may trigger helping behavior in social strata, where it is less likely to occur. Second, the positive relationship between Internet use and volunteering is stronger for older adults who are more likely to volunteer when they use the Internet. Third, the positive link between Internet use and volunteering is stronger for citizens living in rural areas than for urban residents