Internet Use and Social Capital: The Strength of Virtual Ties

This paper aims at analyzing the impact of Internet use on the formation and maintenance of social capital. Internet is a convenient and efficient means to maintain existing social ties (strong-tie investments) and/or to create new ties (weak-tie investments). Who invest in these new forms of social activities? To compare the determinants of weak-tie and strong-tie investments on the Internet, we estimate several probit models (discrete choice models) using a Luxembourg household survey. The results show complementarities between online investments in strong ties and membership in voluntary organizations. We also get evidence of substitution effects between online investments and face-to-face contacts with friends. Finally, people who experienced a geographic or professional mobility in the past are more likely to make online investments in social capital (both strong tie and weak tie investments).