Using Social Hub Media to Expand Public Participation in Municipal Urban Plans

Abstract

Within the last decade, there has been a boost in social hub media websites such as Facebook, Instgram and Twitter. These websites were originally informal virtual places for friends to connect, but have gradually become used as tools for businesses, and more significantly, government to connect with citizens. Public participation is a form of civic duty that is required in all stages of planning. But fewer people in Jordan are taking part in the public participation process, and there is a trend towards an older group (over 40) of residents that come to such meetings or workshops.Generally, plans such as specific plans or general plans in Jordan often take years to implement and require all generations to give feedback on what is needed for the future. This study investigates the relationship between public participation and the rise of social hub media as a tool for engagement, demonstrating how municipalities in Jordan use Facebook. This research suggests that social hub media provides a two-way form of communication between the community and the local government, which aids in promoting authentic participation. Additionally, social media allows for efficient outreach and noticing of meetings or public workshops. As opposed to newspaper or website noticing, websites such as Facebook allow local governments to target a specific audience by location, age, or interests. Additionally, the true potential of Facebook as a participatory tool has not been discovered. Cities are developing their own ways of using it as a tool as there is no formal best practices manual for city planning departments. The findings of this study have provided the necessary information to develop a best practice manual for planning practitioners. The manual provides information on developing a Facebook Page as well as the implications of the technology.