Civil society representation and digital accountability in Brazilian participatory institutions

Abstract

This article discusses the potential of social media platforms to promote the accountability of civil society representatives with seats in participatory institutions in Brazil. Various scholars have cited digital platforms as mechanisms for improving the contact between representatives and their constituencies in situations where formal authorization has not occurred. Yet, little research empirically tests the assumptions that civil society representation is democratized by the adoption of these tools. This article contributes to this debate by presenting the concept of digital accountability and the results of qualitative research on National Policy Councils in Brazil responsible for Health and Social Assistance Policies. The study is based on content analysis of Facebook posts published by those councils between 2016 and 2018, and on semi-structured interviews with the managers of council Facebook pages. It argues that three factors explain the different uses of social media by the Councils: the history of participation in each public policy, the platform operators’ perception of the role of social media in the representative process, and the technical support available. These factors may also help to understand the different ways other institutions use digital media and, more broadly, the challenges in connecting non-electoral representatives to their potential constituencies.