(iPoster) Information Openness and Participatory Equality in China

• In Event: Poster Session: Comparative Politics of Developing Countries & South Asian Politics
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Comparative Politics of Developing Countries

Abstract

Digital technologies have brought about a significant shift in the way people from different social groups participate in political processes through increased information openness. However, the effects of information openness on the equality of political participation remains controversial. In this paper, we argue that in developing countries, information openness empowers disadvantaged groups by reducing the cost of public information access, providing opportunities for social learning, and disseminating scarce political knowledge, ultimately bridging the participation gap. To test our argument, we conducted two complementary studies. The first study examined the impact of information openness on the gap in reported participation using big data generated by the Baidu search engine and two national surveys. The second study explored the effects of an exogenous information openness shock on the online participation gap. We find that information openness reduces both reported and actual participation gap. Through these studies, we contribute to the ongoing debate on the impact of information technology on political equality and propose implications for building GovTech partnerships to promote inclusive governance.

Authors

• Siyao Zheng, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

• Tianguang Meng, Tsinghua University