New Theos research has shown than over a third (36%) of Britons would consider taking direct action to influence rules, laws or policies.

Direct action in this instance means taking part in a public demonstration or in a strike, participating in illegal protest activities, engaging in computer hacking activities, or posting confidential or sensitive material to a website (e.g. Wikileaks). This is a high figure and even allowing for the fact that more people say they would consider action than ever actually carry it out, it is still disturbing.

The way we are protesting is changing in other ways, too. Social media is making its mark. In the last 12 months, as many people have started, followed or supported a campaign using social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, in order to influence rules, laws or policies, as have contacted a politician.

In both instances the young are leading the way. Nearly a quarter of 18-24 year olds have used social media as a means of ‘influence’ in the last twelve months, compared with 8% of over 55s. Similarly, nearly half (46%) in the same age range say they would consider taking some form of direct action.

Should we applaud or decry this? Like so many social issues, it depends on where you stand. Those outraged at the looming public sector cuts will cheer the fact that so many people appear willing to take to the streets to protest about them. Those convinced that politics rather than protest is the way to run a country will denounce the fact that 12% of people say they would consider posting confidential or sensitive material to a website, and that 7% of people (rising to 15% of 18-24s) would consider participating in illegal protest activities.

Much, of course, depends on the issues at hand. When asked what issues they would take action about, most people said fuel prices (52%), closely followed by public service cuts (47%) and then tax rises (41%). These issues clearly motivated the public much more than others, such as businesses avoiding tax (25%), let alone global poverty (19%) or climate change (17%).

The reality is that new media does offer at least the potential to reconnect citizens with one another and help them to work together towards common goals. It could counter recent trends towards individualised and consumerised citizenship, or ‘chequebook’ participation as it has been called, in which we subcontract our public action to third parties.

But if there is any ‘hashtag’ revolution in the way we protest, it will not be enough if all it does is give us more muscle over ‘our’ issues. What we take action about is just as important as how we do it. Taking direct action is all very well, but if it is simply a more forthright (or illegal) means of getting my own way, the only thing it will signify is the further erosion of the bonds (in this case the structural, political bonds) that hold us together as a society. If, on the other hand, ‘hashtag’ politics or direct action is channelled into issues of the common good, things would look more promising. The fact that over three times as many people seem willing to take action over fuel prices as do over climate change is not encouraging, however.

Ultimately, the way we do things is only part of the picture. An open and stable democracy is certainly better than autocracy, let alone tyranny (such as we have seen of late in North Africa) but its establishment – still a long way off in those countries – is the start rather than the end of a journey.

Nick Spencer is Research Director at Theos.