Abstract
What opportunities do citizens have to interact with government online at the local level? This study uses content analysis of the websites of the 75 largest U.S. cities to identify the extent to which they integrate features that allow online information customization and online citizen participation. Completed from March-May 2009, the coding includes analysis of Web 2.0 applications and older web-based tools such as citizen surveys, online town meetings, and other features relevant to citizen engagement. The study finds that municipal governments have steadily developed their online capacity to provide information to local residents, but new media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube remain underutilized. Local e-government has yet to evolve as a tool to advance deliberative democracy, but some opportunities for input have increased. An initial analysis indicates that cities with large African-American and Latino populations have less interactive websites, and that larger cities are likely to have more participatory opportunities online.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | E-Governance and Civic Engagement |
| Subtitle of host publication | Factors and Determinants of E-Democracy |
| Publisher | IGI Global |
| Pages | 261-271 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781613500835 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences