Impact of social networking sites on the participation of citizens in public policies in Vietnam: Evidence from a case study

Abstract

Nowadays, Facebook becomes extremely popular in Vietnam, especially with young people. Using the case study “Trees in Hanoi”, the author aims to analyze characteristics and trend in the participation of citizens in public policy issues. The results showed that Facebook has fundamentally changed interactions between citizens and the State. As an irreversible trend, citizens increasingly take part in discussing public policies and require transparency and efficiency of governmental operations. Finally, the author offers some suggestions to expand public policy discussion and support the transition into an open society in Vietnam so as to avoid unnecessary pressure and social collapse.