In a world that is transforming fast, technology has touched all facets of life.
The advancement of technology created a digital platform in the public sphere, giving birth to the concept of digital democracy. Digital platforms have caused governments to transform, allowing people to take part in the democratic process.
In the contemporary period, political participation has grown in nearly all the democracies of the world because the rising trend of using social media has allowed everyone to take part in the democratic process. The digitisation of democracy has significantly augmented transparency in the functioning of governments, holding them to account for the decisions they make. Inclusiveness is an essential element of a participatory form of government and digital media has transformed governments into digital governments, increasing the inclusivity of the general masses in political decision-making.
In the present era, social media grants people the freedom to express their political views and ideas and to take part in the political process by articulating their views on any issue, showing that democracy is embracing a digital form. Political gatherings are now taking place on social media sites such as Twitter, making it possible for more people to join political campaigns, giving rise to a new digital form of democracy globally.
In a democracy, policymaking is a part of the political process and it should be in the best interest of the general masses. Social media has become a tool for the public to be a part of policy-making by putting pressure on governments through social media campaigns. It also eliminates geographical boundaries, thus creating a digitalised democracy that grants the greatest number of people the opportunity to partake in political activities, a cornerstone of real democracy.
Social media and digital democracy have enabled people to capture anything politicians do, resulting in politicians feeling pressure to perform better to ensure prosperity and fairness for their citizens. Beyond a doubt, this has enhanced the capability of people to assess the dedication of their leaders to transform their lives.
Despite beneficial factors, digital democracy and social media could not lift democracy in underdeveloped countries. The reason is that there are certain impediments that restrict developing countries from taking advantage of the phenomenon of the digitalisation of democracy.
First, it has widened the chasm in communities as digital platforms have become a source of fueling negative sentiments. Political leaders usually take the support of fake propaganda to fabricate the facts in their favor and people rarely possess the capacity to comprehend the motives of their leaders, so they accept their leaders’ statements without question. Fake chants and distorted facts wear away the basis of democracy, damaging its essence.
Digital democracy has increased political friction and social media has turned into a battleground for the supporters of opposing parties. It inflicts a serious blow on the element of national integration. To keep their influence, leaders of developing countries use analysis paralysis to manipulate the minds of those who support them.
Poverty and illiteracy run rampant in developing countries, and the people are being used as pawns by political leaders for their selfish pursuits. Political polarisation, populist slogans, misleading facts, and false promises outshine the advantages of digital democracy, like transparency, accountability, laws, justice, and parity in development in underdeveloped countries.
The situation can only get better if public awareness becomes a norm and social media turns out to be an effective tool for safeguarding democratic values in developing countries. However, the dilemma is that the well-off people in developing countries have power over the impoverished as they largely use social media campaigns to manipulate mindsets. It is the phenomenon of elite capture that is pervasive in poorer nations because people of poorer nations do not have democratic insight. The wealthy and influential mafia keeps the true story hidden.
In places with developing economies, political elites employ social media teams to bring down opponents and sway public opinion through posts with an intended goal. The media cells of political parties craft the material on social media to build an excellent reputation with the lower-income population, who take what they find on social media unquestioningly, regardless of its accuracy.
The original purpose of social media was to benefit the public, yet politicians, especially in developing countries, use it to further their own goals while disregarding democratic standards. Besides, owing to the availability of mobile phones, people report even those incidences that widen the gap between ethnic, sectarian, and political groups that live in a democracy, bringing more harm to the foundations of democracy.
Digital democracy and social media can shift the tables of effective democracy to support developing countries, yet to make democracies more efficient and effective, there is a need to educate societies about the real functioning of a democracy. The new era of digital democracy has the potential to bring a revolution in the governance structure, ensuring public welfare. It ensures rule of law, transparency, accountability, and parity in the division of resources if the public is well aware of the true values a democratic system upholds.
Unless people understand the essentials of democracy, no type of democracy can guarantee the well-being of citizens, and elite capture will continue to plague developing nations in the guise of democracy. In these circumstances, digital democracy and social media will be more of an affliction than an advantage for the citizens of impoverished countries.