Dynamics of social media adoption in Chinese municipalities for environmental governance

Yichen Wu, Huyang Chang and Mengdi Liu

Local Government Studies, 2025, vol. 51, issue 6, 1163-1191

Abstract: Government accountability and regulatory efficiency are improved via social media e-government. However, the adoption of e-government on social media varies across nations and regions. The recent modernisation of Chinese governance, particularly in terms of environmental protection, has made the Chinese government’s microblogs the main platform for environmental protection authorities to communicate with organisations and the public. This paper analyzes the factors influencing the use of social media by local governments in China. An analysis of data from Sina Weibo for 333 Chinese municipalities (2012–2019) reveals that peer competition and the financial and economic capacity of governments positively influence local governments’ adoption of e-government on social platforms, whereas environmental pollution is not significantly correlated. Officials with strong promotional incentives also tend to adopt social media amid peer competition. This research offers insights for advancing e-government in developing countries.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2024.2447300

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