Opening the flow of citizen engagement: an exploratory study of Social Networking Services as a potential vehicle for e-participation in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.

Abstract

This study explored the current use of Social Networking Services (SNS), namely Facebook and Twitter, by City and County of Honolulu government stakeholders, policymakers and their constituents. Specifically, it sought to provide a better understanding of stakeholders‟ perceptions of local e-participation through government-operated SNS. This study consisted of three phases, which investigated and evaluated unique, as well as common, opportunities and barriers to implementing SNS as potential platforms for e-participation in the City and County. The City and County initiated use of SNS in 2008, and use remained at an early stage of integration into business processes and operations. Data revealed no evidence that the policymakers were using SNS to directly promote e-participation initiatives, although potential future uses were noted. At the time of the study, government-operated SNS was primarily used by policymakers and citizens as a one-way-information-based government service.