How Social Fairness Perception Affects Youth Political Participation：The Moderating Effect of Internet Use

Youth political participation is a cornerstone of democratic political development. Utilizing data from the 2021 China Social Survey (CSS2021), this study empirically investigates the mechanisms linking social fairness perception, internet use, and youth political participation. Results show that social fairness perceptions and internet use exert distinct effects on institutionalized and non-institutionalized political participation among young people. Specifically, a stronger sense of social fairness among youth is associated with a greater inclination toward institutionalized political participation, while a weaker sense is linked to a higher propensity for non-institutionalized participation. Furthermore, more intensive internet use predicts stronger non-institutionalized political participation, yet has no significant bearing on institutionalized participation. Further analysis indicates that internet use does not moderate the relationship between social fairness perception and institutionalized participation; however, it significantly amplifies the association between social fairness perception and non-institutionalized participation. These results advance our understanding of the drivers behind youth political engagement and the nuanced role of the internet in this process, offering theoretical and practical insights for guiding youth toward orderly political involvement.