The Role of Local Online Communities in the Implementation of State and Municipal Policies: the Opinion of a Young Audience

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the role of local Internet communities in public and political communication. The perception of modern student youth of the socio-political role performed by local online communities is considered.The purpose of this paper is to identify the features of an active audience of social media attitude to the idea of the local Internet communities functioning in the context of solving socially significant issues and the sphere of state and municipal government. The aim of the article is to establish the presence or absence of a stable group of users who simultaneously consider local Internet publics and groups, and as a significant and effective mechanism for the development of a particular territory, and an instrument for the implementation of state and municipal policy.The theoretical basis of the study is the theory of the information society and the concept of “Local Internet Community”. The main empirical method is a sociological survey of student youth. The total sample of respondents is 292 people. The results of the survey have been processed using frequency and cross-sectional data analysis, and the corresponding contingency tables have been constructed.The results of the survey have showed that the vast majority of respondents agree that local Internet communities help in solving socially significant issues and create new opportunities for direct civic participation in solving such issues. The majority of respondents also has supported the idea that local online communities are an effective tool for implementing state and municipal policies. However, when answering this question, the audience’s opinion has been seriously divided, many survey participants have not agree with this idea or found it difficult to answer. A cross-sectional analysis of the survey data has made it possible to identify the presence of a relatively large group of respondents who are optimistic about the role of local Internet publics and groups both in resolving issues significant to society and in pursuing an effective state and municipal policy. A generalized conclusion has been made about the importance of using local online communities for political and public actors in the performance of their functions.