eParticipation: Citizen Engagement, Challenges, and Technologies for a Two-way Relationship

Abstract

Democracy and political processes require effective communication and informed decision-making on public matters. The development of digital technology, the expansion of Internet, and the growth of social networks have radically changed the forms of global politics, altering the foundations of citizen participation. These new technologies have created new ways to channel and facilitate citizen participation, providing new communication tools between governmental entities and citizens. eParticipation primarily uses the Internet and other technologies for participation (and engagement) in democratic and consultative social processes. It aims to support active citizenship, increase access and availability of participation, and promote both open government and society. However, even when governmental entities provide digital tools for citizen participation, it may still be limited. Moreover, technologies might not be neutral and could be used to generate new forms of censorship, information control, or as platforms for misinformation propagation, which could foster the loss of trust in institutions. In this context, this work presents a brief analysis of the study of citizen engagement in electronic media, with specific interest in social networks, and approaches for its quantification.