Abstract

The article assesses the existing scholarly literature on forms and processes of political participation on the Net. In the second part the author attempts a «comparative» analysis of the two Italian events which have become emblems of political participation via the Net emphasizing their inauguration of a close relationship between politics and Internet: the V-Day (September 8, 2007) and the No B-Day (December 5, 2009). The case study offers insights on the dynamics of participation via the Internet, that are discussed in the conclusions: is it possible to witness the birth of a new political subject called «The people of the Internet», embodied firstly in the V-Generation and secondly in the «Popolo Viola»? Is the Internet able to allow the democratic participation in contemporary Italy?