Online civic engagement: Fostering citizen engagement through social media

Abstract

The Industrial Revolution 4.0, which makes the internet its backbone, has accelerated the process due to the Covid-19 pandemic which forced citizens to shift all their activities to the digital world, including the involvement of citizens in responding to public discourse. Citizens' public discourses that previously took place in real public spaces have now shifted to digital spaces, one of which is social media. To bridge these changes, a conceptualization of civic engagement is needed through a digital platform. The online citizen involvement was later referred to as online civic engagement, namely civic engagement activities specifically carried out by digital citizens involving several types of digital media, one of which is social media. This literature study provides a clearer picture of the forms of community interaction through social media that go beyond what is known as “slacktivism”. When many democracies are faced with the problem of decreasing citizen participation in politics, social media comes with a new form of civic interaction with what is meant by online civic engagement.

The Role of Social Media in Shaping Public Opinion and Its Influence on Economic Decisions

“…Therefore, the role of social media in shaping public opinion is not just about shifting the traditional communication paradigm, but also about enabling the emergence of new voices, creative thinking, and diverse viewpoints in public discourse. By continuing to develop this potential, social media is shaping the dynamics of public opinion that are increasingly inclusive and enable active participation from various walks of life, with the hope of making a significant contribution to the evolution of democracy and citizen participation in the public sphere (Mulyono et al, 2022).…”

Unveiling Utopian Civic Engagement: Empowering Digital Natives through Digital Literacy for a Better Future

“…Digital natives with high digital literacy skills feel more connected to their online communities and are more likely to engage in collaborative activities. Hartlet et al (2005) highlight the factors influencing civic engagement, while Mulyono et al (2022) critically review the relationship between social media and civic engagement. Fuchs (2011) discuss the importance of digital literacy in civic participation, while Livingstone & Helsper (2007) examine the role of support received in the digital environment.…”