democracy essay for css

Digital Democracy: Social Media and Public Participation

• Maleeha Sattar
• August 26, 2023
• CSS , CSS Essays , CSS Solved Essays , Current Affairs , Pakistan's Domestic Affairs , Pakistan's External Affairs , PMS , PMS Essays
• 46101 Views

CSS 2022 Solved Essay | Digital Democracy: Social Media and Public Participation | CSS and PMS Solved Essays by Sir Syed Kazim Ali Students

Maleeha Sattar has attempted the essay “ Digital Democracy: Social Media and Public Participation ” on the given pattern, which Sir  Syed Kazim Ali  teaches his students. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns.

1- Introduction

• ✓Technology, indeed, advancing and improving worldwide with its diverse field of novelty
• ✓Forming digital spaces, like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc., broadly encouraging the politically aware public to articulate their views openly while experiencing their freedom of expression right
• ✓Public participation changing the picture of democracy by making it more digital and strengthening it via using social media platforms across the globe
• ✓Therefore, the leader-voter bond formation, youth’s indulgence in welfare activities lessening leaders’ burden, and promulgation of transparency via e-governance initiatives by using digital tools, conjointly giving rise to digital democracy across the boards

2- Debunking the term ‘Digital Democracy’ from the broader perspective

3- How has public participation strengthened digital democracy via social media?

• Case in point:   According to the PEW Research Center, “74pc of the adults in the United States (US) who use social media platforms get news from them”, highlighting the role of social media in disseminating information
• Case in point: The mobilization and activism by people, physically and digitally, to support social causes in the form of movements, like the Arab Spring, Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements, to flourish digital democracy at all fronts is a glaring example of the case
• Case in point: The hashtag “MyCultureMyPride” has aided people on social media platforms, like YouTube and Instagram, to represent their cultures by sharing their cultural videos and pictures, further strengthening pluralism across the boards
• Case in point: According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), “White House utilizes social media platforms to engage citizens in discussions and gathers public input on policy issues.”
• Case in point: The online campaigns on social media platforms by infuriated public in the Zainab rape case, helping in the formation of the child abuse and rape-related laws in Pakistan, bolstering the power of digital democracy in the country
• Case in point: The enhanced usage of Twitter accounts by the leaders, like all Pakistan’s political parties’ prominent leaders, showing their online presence, helping them disseminate their parties’ ideology among the masses
• Case in point: According to the United Nations, Coronavirus related updates, the organization has highlighted ten young people’s names from all over the world led the coronavirus response by developing their digital communities to tackle and control the spread of the pandemic at that time
• Case in point: According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, “Those countries that focus on e-governance initiatives for development projects have seen improvement in their democracy indexes, along with the enhanced public participation.”

4- Case studies of different countries where public participation has strengthened digital democracy via social media

• ✓ Case study of Taiwan
• ✓ Case study of the US
• ✓ Case study of Pakistan

5- Critical Analysis

6- Conclusion

 Technology has advanced and improved worldwide with its diverse field of novelty. Additionally, the revolutionization of the modes of communication and masses’ interaction in the digital age with the advancements in social media platforms has changed the landscape of countries’ democratic processes and, thus, governing patterns. Indeed, forming digital spaces like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc., has encouraged the politically aware public to articulate their views openly while experiencing their freedom of expression broadly. Consequently, public participation has changed the picture of democracy by making it more digital and strengthening it via using social media platforms across the globe. Looking at the intense magnitude of digital democracy in today’s world, civic engagement by using social media has enlarged the information pool for the masses, shaped their opinion towards their leaders and promulgated digital democracy, particularly. Besides this, social media’s activism and cultural assimilation practices, by people, have also contributed to the flourishing digital democracy on all fronts. Despite engaging citizens in decision-making procedures, political accountability via online campaigns has also lessened the trust deficit between the public and stakeholders, fostering digital democracy in societies. Therefore, the leader-voter bond formation, youth’s indulgence in welfare activities reducing leaders’ burden, and promulgation of transparency via e-governance initiatives by using digital tools, conjointly, have given rise to digital democracy across the boards. This essay highlights how public participation has strengthened digital democracy via social media.

Before jumping towards the maxim of how public participation has strengthened digital democracy via social media, the understanding of the term ‘Digital Democracy’ in the broader perspective holds the greatest importance. Indeed, the jargon encapsulates the concept denoting the introduction of digital infrastructures in the organizations’ structure via reforms to establish a more effective and unrestricted democratic setup, building the collective government body best suited for the efficient conduct of the current state of affairs. Speaking in a neutral vein, digital democracy has become a significant factor in the social media age, as it promulgates transparency in the institutions by empowering the citizen-to-citizen contact at large. Moreover, it helps incorporation and inclusion of different ideas and viewpoints in the overall functioning of the government system and gives rise to a new form of business-oriented teamwork-based environment in the system, along with technology-led public management skills of the leaders at length.

Talking about the maxim of how public participation has strengthened digital democracy via social media, it, in fact, has increased civic engagement for access to information on social media platforms, greatly influencing and shaping public opinion. For instance, according to the PEW Research Center, “74 per cent of the adults in the United States (US) who use social media platforms get news from them”, highlighting the role of social media in the dissemination of information related to the ongoing events at the global front. As a result, they build their opinion and act accordingly for the promulgation of democracy in their respective domains on the basis of that information. Thus, the elevated level of public participation has helped foster digital democracy in the countries through the productive use of social media.

In addition, creating awareness among the masses for the achievement of basic human rights also strengthens digital democracy via the use of social media. Indeed, it has shown in the mobilization and activism by people, physically and digitally too, to support social causes in the form of movements, like the Arab Spring, Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements, to flourish digital democracy at all fronts is a glaring example of the case. In this way, they could make public officials aware of the sentiments of the downtrodden segments of society. And via activism, they could seek social justice in all directions, which is necessary for the promotion of digital democracy worldwide.

Besides, the public actively participates in the fostering of cultural diversity via social media platforms, which is mandatory for flourishing digital democracy in all domains. For instance, the hashtag “MyCultureMyPride” has aided people on social media platforms, like YouTube and Instagram, to represent their cultures by sharing their cultural videos and pictures, further strengthening pluralism across the boards. By doing this, virtual people-to-people contact via social media enhances, and the public becomes a capable force that could overthrow power centralization in all political spheres. As a result, digital democracy takes its toll in full swing and negates all authoritative, feudal practices broadly.

Apart from it, active public participation with the productive use of social media platforms has compelled political heads of the states to engage citizens in discussions related to policymaking. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), “The White House utilizes social media platforms to engage citizens in discussions and gathers public input on policy issues.” It clearly shows that government institutes, by following the general will principles, also contribute to the advancement of digital democracy by including active and responsible citizens in decision-making. Therefore, digital democracy has smoothened due to the social media platforms in today’s world.

Likewise, the public’s active participation through the usage of social media in the online campaign’s form has also reinforced the political accountability of the officials. Such as the online campaigns on social media platforms that infuriated the public in the Zainab rape case, helping in the formation of child abuse and rape-related laws in Pakistan, and bolstering the power of digital democracy in the country. After accomplishing this, child abuse has ceased for a longer period of time in Pakistan, and consequently, the incident has helped in bridging the gap between the public and stakeholders. Hence, public participation has helped maintain a transparency level in the country, furthering digital democracy with the help of social media.

Similarly, the zestful usage of social media by political leaders has boosted their one-on-one interaction with their vigilant voter diaspora . Illustratively, the enhanced usage of Twitter accounts by the leaders, like all of Pakistan’s political parties’ prominent leaders, shows their online presence, helping them disseminate their parties’ ideology among the masses. In return, the public, influenced by their views, supports them blindly in the electoral campaigns and rallies. In this manner, they openly demand them in office as their representative running the government functions for the effective development of digital democracy in the country.

 Moving ahead towards another justification proving the maxim, the augmented youth efforts during crisis situations using digital tools have kicked the digital democracy’s gradients upstairs. According to the United Nations coronavirus-related updates, the organization has highlighted ten young people’s names from all over the world who led the coronavirus response by developing their digital communities to tackle and control the spread of the pandemic at that time. Due to their diligent participation, the countries’ leaders were capable of tackling the birth of new evils and focusing on the achievement of Sustainable Development’s seventeen goals (17 SDGs) with a collective efforts strategy instead of a man show. Hence, vigilant public participation helps elevate the digital democracy rates via using social media.

Last but not least, the masses’ social involvement has stimulated the effectiveness of e-governance, giving rise to digital democracy in the contemporary world. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, “Those countries that focus on e-governance initiatives for their multidimensional development, along with the enhanced public participation, have seen improvement in their democracy indexes.” By analyzing the facts, the countries’ people actively participate and gain information from their governance portals and question the validity of the officials’ actions, too, as they have the right to information as an accountability card for the enhancement of their country’s institutional transparency. Therefore, public participation indeed aids in strengthening digital democracy via social media.

The above discussion could be emboldened by giving examples of some developing countries where public participation has strengthened digital democracy via social media. The very first one in the row is the case study of the country Taiwan. Without any doubt, the country’s officials have developed the e-petition platform to include its citizens in decision-making. As a result, the empowered youth have actively taken part in the resolution of the Uber, a ride-sharing app, issue , further enhancing their consensus and participation in the country’s legal working and app launching activities. Thus, Taiwan’s public involvement has invigorated the country’s digital democracy through social media platforms.

Second, the United States also explains the strength of civic engagement by proactively using social media platforms, which has augmented digital democracy in the country. Delineating their citizens’ activity, the masses have actively used social media platforms during the US’s 2016 elections . In fact, they have shown their sentiments via slogan raising and hashtag development on their Twitter accounts to dominate their allegiance to their leaders. Through their online voting system, they have also ensured transparency in the voter turnout rates. Therefore, digital democracy has been raised to its height via social media in the country by the public.

Lastly, Pakistan’s case study has significantly outlined the increasing support of digital democracy by the public’s social media using capacity in the current global environment, which can be gauged by the availability ratio of the internet in the country. According to the Digital Pakistan report (2022), “61 million people out of 220 million population are internet users.” It clearly shows that the public has enthusiastically used social media platforms to raise their concerns and get connected with their leaders, the necessary element in the promulgation of digital democracy in the country’s multiple domains. Hence, the public’s interest has compelled the officials to ensure democracy in the country in today’s social media age.

In a critical diagnosis, digital democracy, standing on the pillars of social media platforms, has undoubtedly been promulgated by productive public participation. Speaking in a positive manner, the concept has gained so much popularity among the masses that it helps foster diverse perspectives in societies and encourages people to work collectively in a win-win situation instead of relying on self-help. However, the enhanced public participation that has strengthened digital democracy via social media could be proved as a double-edged sword in the coming future in the form of propaganda games, further raising prisoner’s dilemma for the future world order. But for now, social engagement has always borne fruits for society by boosting digital democracy in a positive way, paving the countries’ way towards development.

In conclusion, using social media platforms actively by the global citizens in the global village has raised the standards of democracy in the twenty-first century. Surely, the inclusion of digital telecommunication tools in the government structure has raised the living standards of the masses and ensured the active accountability of the leaders holding public offices. Furthermore, it also helped the masses become well aware of their rights and their timely dispensation, boosting the levels of digital democracy and taking it to an advanced level. In the end, digital democracy by using social media has strengthened due to the continuous struggle of the public, seeking pluralism by accepting diversity at all fronts. 

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