Opportunities and challenges for digital governance in a world of digital participation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Luna-Reyes, Luis Felipe

Affiliations: Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, 135 Western Ave., Albany, NY, 12222, USA | Tel.: +1 518 442 5297; E-mail: lluna-reyes@albany.edu

Abstract: Digital technologies are changing information flows and transforming some of our current social structures. From some perspectives, increased interactions among people on social media platforms are already transforming the role of the free press in modern democracies, with the potential to influence our governance systems. Moreover, government and non-government organizations are promoting digital participation through the development of technology platforms, such as e-Consultation and e-Petitioning systems, to promote social interactions as well as political conversations with the aim to improve the public policy development process. These trends continue to change our democratic governance system by opening opportunities for citizens to directly influence policy issues and democratic participation. However, lack of transparency in how the conversation is initiated and structured in these same platforms provides new opportunities for private interests to influence public conversations.

Keywords: Information policy, governance, e-participation, e-Consultation, e-Petitioning, co-creation, policy informatics

DOI: 10.3233/IP-170408

Journal: Information Polity, vol. 22, no. 2-3, pp. 197-205, 2017