The Use of Social Media by Bandung City Government in Increasing Public Participation

Abstract

Social media is a widespread global phenomenon. The existence of social media has become the essential part in everyday life of millions of people in the world, and it is also influencing on how people communicate with each other. In the governmental context, social media accommodates a fast and transparent method of delivering information, which would be able to be designed to provide service involving public participation. Bandung city government high awareness of this matter causing government to create a social media based service, involving public participation, in developing the city of Bandung. Social media becomes a transparency tool toward public for Policies on infrastructure rehabilitation and development of public space, it can be said that social media is creating communication network between government and people of Bandung.

The purpose of this research is to critically analyse social media utilization phenomenon, involving public participation, in Bandung city government. This research uses qualitative method with descriptive design, focusing on literature study. Reality is observed and understood by analysing social media use in administration of Bandung city government. Data collecting technique used is non-participatory observation and qualitative data analysis. The result of this research shows that Bandung city government has developed various programs and innovations through social media in running the government. The effort has created a different perspective from the previously rigid and formal relation between government and the people, into a more connected, which in turn will increase public participation in the development of Bandung city. (246 words)

Keywords: social media, city government, democracy, and public participation.