Public Trust in Government, Trust in E-Government, and Use of E-Government

Abstract

The author of this article examines aspects of trust in government generally, and its relationship to trust in e-government. Trust in government has been seen to have positive effects across a number of factors, including economic performance, social cohesion, and the sum of welfare. A specification of different levels of trust in government is outlined. What is the relationship between trust in government and trust in e-government? While there seems to be a relationship between the use of technology and e-government and trust and comfort in its use, recent studies have questioned a simple link between use of e-government and trust in government, and trust in e-government and trust in government generally. Somewhat conflicted findings across studies, however, suggests further research is needed.