Cyberspace Effects on Civil Society. The Ultimate Game-Changer or Not?

Abstract

It is a commonplace to say that digitization or, in broader terms, the emergence of cyberspace as a new arena of human activity, has profoundly affected the life of individuals, communities and societies. This article looks at the effects of cyberspace on one part of a democratic society, namely civil society. If it is assumed to make any difference at a societal level, it is logical to expect that one should be able to identify some kind of changes in the characteristics of civil societies, and through those, in society-state relations in general.How to make sense of the cyberspace developments in relation to civil society? We use a very simple framework of analysis to tackle the question. First, we draw on the wide range of theoretical literature that discusses the meaning and role of civil society, distinguishing between four different and yet somewhat overlapping categories. Second, we combine this normative-typological discussion with the often-cited notion that the ongoing digitization of societies includes benefits and opportunities as well as downsides and risks to a variety of stakeholders (e.g. WEF, 2016).The issue at stake then becomes what kind of civil society cyberspace enhances and, conversely, what kind of civil society it constrains. By homing in on Norway (and on Northern Norway in particular), representing one of the most digitized countries in the world with a strong and vibrant civil society, the framework of analysis is enriched with some illustrative data. However, it can arguably be applied and tailored to any society. This article should be seen as an exploratory study, testing the framework of analysis, whereas a later more quantitative large-N study will follow. The data for the current study derives from three sources. First, in early 2018 we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews in five non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the fields of human rights, children's rights and protection, humanitarian help, as well as environmental protection and advocacy. In most cases, the main interviewees were the leaders of the organization's national or local branch. Second, to confirm some of our main observations, in early 2019 we carried out a small-scale structured online survey of just over a dozen NGOs. The NGOs interviewed and surveyed were selected on the basis of their proven high level of activity and visibility. At the behest of the majority of the organizations, we follow the anonymity principle in this article. Third, we greatly benefited from a second-hand data source, namely the existingand indeed rather abundantresearch on Norwegian civil society, which we have carefully reviewed and reorganized according to our framework. We also refer to examples from other countries in order to illuminate the generic context.Our preliminary conclusion issomewhat surprisingly at odds with the general enthusiasm for digitization/cyberspace as the ultimate game-changerthat while the transfer of certain civic activities to cyberspace has contributed to some seemingly significant changes in ...

Activities and Communication Patterns of the West Java Provincial Government During the Covid-19 Pandemic Through Twitter

“…Government communication through social media also has a different approach according to the goals (Guerrero-Solé & Lopez-Gonzalez, 2019). In addition, social media has become a community tool to monitor the government, especially on issues of governance, social inclusion, and privacy in the spotlight (Montalvan Castilla & Pursiainen, 2019). It has become one of the government's strategies in utilizing and dominating social media as a means of interaction and creating an effective pattern to reach the wider public.…”

“…The concept of government to citizens (G2C) supports the relationship between the government and society (Pardo, Nam, & Burke, 2012). The increasing role of social media can become a tool for the public in monitoring the government and bringing issues of governance, social inclusion, and privacy, into the spotlight (Montalvan Castilla & Pursiainen, 2019). Even today, the government is not the only one using social media to absorb public aspirations, other organizations in the private sector also do so (Gagliardi, Niglia, Misuraca, & Pasi, 2021).…”

Watching Together: Local Media and Rural Civic Engagement*

“…Communications scholars examine the extent to which both traditional and newer forms of digital media play in shaping civic engagement (Chan 2014; Gil de Zúñiga et al 2012; Shah et al 2005). Scholarship focuses on the hypothesized influence of the Internet and social media in engendering greater participation in civil society (Montalvan Castilla and Pursiainen 2019), indicating a positive relationship between use of digital media and civic engagement (Boulianne 2015; Chen 2020). However, though scholars have lauded the informational value of digital media, there is increasing concern that digital media spreads misinformation via the dissemination of “fake news.” The dissemination of fake news is closely related to digital media use (Grinberg et al 2019; Vargo et al 2018).…”