Media, Politics and Governance

This article discusses the impact of social media on governance in the 21st century. It highlights the benefits and drawbacks of social media and how it has evolved governance. It also discusses the concept of E-governance and the need for laws to protect personal data.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO POLITICS
Media, Politics and Governance
(Assessing the increasing impact of social media on governance in the 21st century)
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Author Note

1INTRODUCTION TO POLITICS
Media, Politics and Governance
The technological revolution of 1990s, the Internet, has metamorphosed the
connectivity of the world. The 21st century is distinguished by the fact that billions can now
be connected at the same moment by accessing the internet from almost every corner on
Earth. From laymen to the highest authority of the state, every segment is incorporated within
the vast expanse of the internet. This impact is furthered with the inception of social media, a
platform that comprises of several mobile and web-based applications fabricated with the aim
of transforming communication into synergistic dialogues among individuals, communities
and organizations (Obar & Wildman, 2015). The influence of social media over the various
sections of the society including the governing body is inevitable and massive at the same
time. Social media is a potential method used for governance, as several governments of the
21st century utilize the social media platforms for E-governance schemes and dispersing
information through online avenues. Such utilization also contributes to transparence, better
accountability and thereby enhanced governance (Mergel, 2013).
A government comprises of groups of eligible people, appointed with the
responsibility and authority to administer and safeguard the people of a country or state. With
the rapid transformation of the technology around the world, the governance too has evolved.
The emergence of social media has made people more aware than ever and the government
requires to be more active in order to gain the favoritism of the common mass, thereby
pronouncing the significance of democracy. Similarly it can also influence the lives of
millions through the interactive social media. The governance of various countries are
substantially impacted with the use of social media, which has both its perks as well as
hazards (Linke & Zerfass, 2013).

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Social media enables the common mass to gain access to the programs and policies of
the government more easily thereby heightening the concept of clarity in the framework of
governance. Government websites assists the public with approachable agents with the
objective of swift procurement of solutions for public issues (Criado, Sandoval-Almazan &
Gil-Garcia, 2013). With the radical use of social media, the government can deftly
communicate information to the citizens, which in turn benefits the clear and close
connection that is ideal for the state and its subjects.
In today’s global digital advancement, multiple governments utilize social media for diverse
purposes. During dire times of crises, several governments select social media as a means to
communicate with the masses regarding the emergency procedures and safety instructions
(Houston et al., 2015). For instance in 2018, during the devastating California Camp wildfire,
the concerned government could promote evacuation protocols through social networking
sites as well as connected evacuated residents with relief resources and kept providing them
with updates regarding the status of the catastrophe. With active propagation on social media,
the governments also influence common people to engage in diverse programs related to
global causes such as safeguarding the environment. In this manner the government also aids
the dissemination of knowledge regarding the growing concerns about the well-being of the
Earth. There are several social media platforms utilized by the governments to spread
awareness regarding the public rights and duties that facilitates the citizens of the state. Social
media is also an efficient platform to attract people; hence, various states have official
websites promoting the tourism industry of the concerned state. For instance, the Caribbean
government utilizes this facet of the social media for enticing masses to visit the state and
thereby influence the revenue earned by the tourism industry (onecaribbean.org, 2019). The
concept of campaigning online before elections is no longer new for the common masses.
Candidates of varied political parties from varied countries utilize social media sites in order

3INTRODUCTION TO POLITICS
to propagate their motives and promises to gain the trust of the citizens (Biswas, Ingle & Roy,
2014). It also enables to construct online avenues for educational purposes, through which the
government can mediate their views for the citizens to consider.
It is due to the widespread use of social media that the concept of E-governance has evolved.
Electronic governance assists the common people to gain access to information in the format
of an application belonging to the ICT (Information and Communication Technology)
category. E-governance provides prompt responses and efficient interactions amongst public
and the government as well as within governments and businesses of different states. It
secures and upholds the transparency of how the government deals with issues, to the
common mass. The prime motive of introducing the E-governance system was to do away
with the incredible amount of paperwork that the government deals with on a daily basis. By
allowing data to be processed and accessed online, a certain section of governance becomes
easy, however, it also raises threats regarding the security of such large amount of data stored
online (Khasawneh & Abu-Shanab, 2013).
The social media evolution leaves no strata of the society untouched. With an expanse
of such huge impact, social media incorporates certain short comings which are in turn
created by the people itself. The prime drawback due to which social media is almost always
criticized is the different types of hacking (Hintz, 2013). Private data uploaded by the
governments on various websites often are prone to the threat of being hacked. Several fraud
websites and scams often harass the common people under the pretense of being connected
with the government and even succeed in duping a number of people. Along with the benefits
provided by social media it also incorporates these security issues that are often controlled
and resolved by the governing bodies. Social media sites use bandwidths that are large in size
and thus often there are instances wherein malwares and viruses infiltrate several systems
causing to further leak of personal and public data in the wrong hands. With the availability

4INTRODUCTION TO POLITICS
of internet almost everywhere, the content available on the social media is not always
relevant and safe. The common people encounter harassment due to the aforementioned
issues. Social media being an open platform is easily accessible to spread news of any kind,
which often leads to negative publicity of not only the government but also certain
personalities or firms.
Adversities of social media can be resolved by the introduction of laws, acts and
terms of punishments, for protecting personal data. In some countries the government does
intervene in cases where there is a breach in the personal space of firms or individuals,
however, it is not the same everywhere. With the rapid development and widespread use of
social media it is imperative for governments around the world to introduce and implement
laws for protecting its citizens from encountering the detrimental aspects of social media (Oh
& Lee, 2014).
Social media therefore acts both as a boon and a curse for the 21st century governance
in various sectors. It contributes to the development of a transparent relationship between the
state and its citizen. It pertains to devising a platform with the capability of aiding the public
with an improved approach to gain information. Social media furnishes the government with
scopes to champion noble causes and broaden awareness among the common masses. It also
guides the governing bodies to confront crimes in varied fields. It also contributes to
structuring preferable business relations as well as communities of all sorts. Nevertheless, the
excessive use of social media delivers diminished volume of productivity among certain
individuals that in turn damages the overall yield of any state. Therefore, advancing with the
benefits and adverse facets of the incredible invention of the social media, global governance
has evolved substantially in this era of modernization.

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Retrieved 21 July 2019, from https://www.onecaribbean.org/