Knowing more, worrying less? Internet use eases public concern about immigrant cultural threat

The concern regarding the impact of cross-border migrants on a nation's culture is a key factor that hampers local acceptance of immigrants. In this light, mitigating cultural anxieties can enhance immigrant acceptance to some extent. This paper contends that the internet facilitates people to consume immigration information through digital media, thereby reducing unjustified concerns about the cultural implications of immigrants. Leveraging a cross-national survey spanning 17 Western countries, we find that internet use is indeed negatively associated with perceived immigrant cultural threat. This association remains to hold across several robustness checks. Follow-up analyses indicate that internet use can alleviate immigrant cultural concerns for those with regular left-wing digital media exposure, but not for those who consume right-wing digital media frequently. Additionally, social media use and personal ideology are also found to have moderating effects, with internet use being less effective among individuals who use social media heavily or are ideologically right-leaning. This paper sheds light on the role of the internet in fostering inter-group understanding and alleviating out-group discrimination.