Creative Digital Public Communication and Civic Trust: Reimagining Government–Citizen Engagement in Southeast Asia
Keywords:
Public communication, Creative public futures, Civic engagement, Digital governance, Southeast AsiaAbstract
The rapid growth of digital culture in Southeast Asia has reshaped public communication practices, particularly within governmental institutions. This study explores how creative digital public communication strategies contribute to civic trust and participatory engagement. Using a qualitative multiple-case study of local government social media practices in Indonesia, the research examines content creativity, dialogic interaction, and digital responsiveness as key elements in fostering public trust. Data were collected through digital ethnography, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Findings reveal that creative public communication, characterized by visual storytelling, participatory content, and adaptive crisis messaging, significantly enhances civic trust when supported by transparency and responsiveness. However, structural challenges such as misinformation, algorithmic visibility, and limited institutional capacity constrain effectiveness. The study proposes a Creative Public Communication Model integrating dialogic engagement, digital storytelling, and civic co-creation to envision future-oriented governance in Southeast Asia.
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