The Impact of the Digital Revolution on Citizen-Governance Interaction in the Finnish Context

This research paper examines the impact of the digital revolution on citizens and governance. New technologies introduce tools and platforms that provide new forms of participation such as e-voting, initiatives and mass mobilization. The digital revolution and new technologies have improved citizens' political participation and engaged citizens in political decision-making. Alongside political inclusion, technology provides citizens with a platform for interaction with each other and political decisionmakers, which can be seen as contributing to the deliberative development of society. New technologies have improved the chance of citizens' participation, but the mere possibility of participation may not be sufficient to promote democracy and political participation. Engaging citizens in political decision-making may be challenging for “traditional reasons”: lack of political interest or knowledge. However, too much skepticism about citizen engagement is not entirely justified, as new technologies offer the potential to expand social capital