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The role of smartphone apps in municipal participation
The overarching theme ‘The role of smartphone apps in municipalities’ encompasses four key sub-themes that highlight participants’ perceptions of the utility and broader significance of smartphone applications in facilitating civic engagement. These themes reflect how such apps are considered valuable tools for promoting participation and accessibility in municipal activities. A detailed summary of the four themes and their associated codes is presented in Table 2, with each theme further elaborated in the following sections.
Accessibility and convenience
The sub-theme ‘Accessibility and convenience’ emerges as a critical factor in explaining why smartphone users perceive municipal apps as valuable tools that simplify life, regardless of time or location. Participants emphasised the ease of accessing municipal services and submitting service requests as key advantages offered by m-government participatory mechanisms, such as the proposed My Munici-Pal app. They praised these apps for providing a practical alternative to physically visiting municipal offices, enabling users to connect with municipalities more efficiently. Additionally, participants highlighted the convenience of accessing essential information at any time through an app that integrates features similar to social media platforms. Research further suggests that young people are more likely to engage in municipal participation when their peers are actively involved. Participants’ responses further illustrate the perceived convenience and efficiency of smartphone apps in municipal engagement. For example, one participant noted:
“Smartphone apps provide easy access to local government services and information at any time, without the need to visit municipal offices in person. This saves time and effort [...].” (Participant 50)
This highlights the significant time-saving potential and the ability to bypass the logistical challenges associated with in-person visits.
Another participant emphasised the practical benefits of using these apps to address community maintenance concerns:
“[...] many apps allow us to quickly report issues like potholes, broken streetlights, or other public maintenance problems. These reports can be geo- tagged for accuracy, leading to faster resolution.” (Participant 67)
This response underscores the utility of smartphone apps in enabling real-time problem reporting and resolution,
demonstrating their value in fostering more efficient municipal service delivery. Together these insights reaffirm the theme of accessibility and convenience as a pivotal aspect of the role smartphone apps play in facilitating municipal engagement.
Participation through real-time updates
This sub-theme emphasises the critical role of smartphone applications in enhancing timely and transparent communication between municipalities and citizens. Participants highlighted the value of receiving instant notifications about municipal developments, which ensures they remain informed about important decisions and actions. Timely updates on community projects were also regarded as essential for fostering trust and accountability, allowing residents to track progress and outcomes effectively. Additionally, the ability of these apps to deliver emergency alerts and public safety notifications was recognized as a crucial feature for promoting security and preparedness within communities.
Transparency was further enhanced through live reporting of municipal decisions, enabling real-time insights into governance processes. Event reminders and tools for participation tracking were identified as practical mechanisms for encouraging active civic engagement and ensuring sustained involvement in local affairs. Together these features demonstrate how real-time updates contribute to a more connected, informed, and engaged citizenry.
Social media features for civic engagement
The sub-theme of ‘Social media features for civic engagement’ emphasises the integration of interactive and participatory elements within smartphone apps to enhance public involvement in municipal affairs. Participants highlighted the value of comment sections, which provide a platform for public discussions and foster open dialogue among community members. The ability to share municipal updates on social media was also seen as critical for amplifying information dissemination and encouraging broader engagement. Additionally, features such as direct messaging options for municipal representatives were recognised for facilitating more direct and personalised communication channels between the public and officials.
The inclusion of community forums was identified as an important avenue for fostering youth involvement by creating spaces for collaborative discussions on civic issues. Lastly, public polls and surveys emerged as effective tools for gathering community input and promoting participatory decision-making
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