Online political participation has been presented as a possible solution to declining levels of trust in traditional politics. However, the most marginalised communities are often the least connected and participate least in digital citizenship programmes. Much existing literature rests on a binary understanding of citizens as being either connected or unconnected. Progress is therefore often understood simply as a process of “connecting the unconnected.” This paper presents primary empirical research from the Philippines, which suggests that such binary understandings disguise more than they reveal. We argue that it is descriptively more accurate and more analytically useful to recognise that multiple classes of technology access exist, which limit digital citizenship in multiple ways.
Impact / Outcome The research produced new knowledge about the three research questions: who participates in digital governance in the Philippines; what structural barriers exclude other citizens, and what lessons can be derived to guide future policy, practice, and research. We found that the availability of connectivity favoured the participation of urban populations who could afford smartphones and mobile data. Awareness of digital governance initiatives and digital literacy abilities were lowest in the rural Batak focus group. We found that women, indigenous people, and those on low incomes were most excluded from digital citizenship initiatives and were most constrained by low levels of agency.
Funding sources Public/Private
Key Metrics Better understanding of barriers to digital citizenship
