Delivering Information and Services Using eGovernment: A Case Study of Digital “Haves” and “Have Nots” Using @CDC: Twitter, eGov, and COVID-19

Abstract

This chapter seeks to understand the intersection between eGovernment, social media, and digital inequalities by examining the disparate flow of information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Developed economies are increasingly transitioning to digital interfaces for information dissemination and provision of services. The authors explore the potential of, and challenges facing eGovernment by looking at the use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter employs a case study approach to probe the dynamics of government-initiated efforts at information dissemination through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website and social media account on Twitter. The analysis in this chapter uses NodeXL to examine communication roles played by government and non-governmental actors within this slice of the Twittersphere centered around CDC@gov. As the findings demonstrate, non-governmental actors played key roles in the dissemination of public health messaging. The authors analyze these data with an eye to the potential of social media for public health communication and extrapolate that understanding to the use of digital access and social media for the provision of accurate, official information in other circumstances. While the COVID-19 pandemic was a global health crisis, individuals and households face individual or local crises every day. This angle of vision allows the chapter to conclude with recommendations pertaining to government-led information dissemination for the public good during crisis and non-crisis situations alike. In the concluding section, the authors probe the degree to which eGovernment can also address digital inequalities including connectivity, device, and literacy gaps. The authors offer solutions needed for eGovernment initiatives in light of challenges posed by digital inequalities to ensure that digital information sharing and services are accessible to all.

Citation

Trammel, J.M., Robinson, L. and Levine, L. (2024), "Delivering Information and Services Using eGovernment: A Case Study of Digital “Haves” and “Have Nots” Using @CDC: Twitter, eGov, and COVID-19", Levine, L. (Ed.) Technology vs. Government: The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object (Studies in Media and Communications, Vol. 25), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 107-127. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2050-206020240000025004