In their recent paper, Daria Kuznetsova and Caroline Tolbert systematically evaluate the relationship between the Internet, social media use, and participation in politics in democracies and non-democracies. 

Kuznetsova and Tolbert argue that access to globalizing information networks—which exist within digital media space and where discussions of political norms and values are frequent—promotes higher rates of political participation. Using data from the 7th wave of the World Values Survey, they find that more frequent social media use is associated with higher political participation, all else equal. This relationship is significant in democracies and non-democracies, suggesting that information networks increase political participation even in countries with Internet shutdowns, censorship, and limited rights and freedoms.