The users’ point of view: towards a model of government information behavior on social media

This study aims to examine the information behavior and acquisition of government information by Israeli citizens on social media. A mixed-methods research approach was used, with the study conducted in two main stages: an online survey, via a questionnaire distributed among Israeli citizens, and in-depth interviews. Both stages focus on citizens’ patterns of use, experience, and acquisition of government information through various digital means. The findings indicate that users do not prefer social networks to actively retrieve government information. They also avoid making direct inquiries to government bodies on these platforms, either out of fear of an invasion of privacy, or due to a lack of trust in the government. However, social media channels provide fertile ground for accidental and unintentional exposure to government announcements and updates. The findings also show that users with higher digital literacy and high internal political efficacy are more likely to rely on digital media as a tool for data acquisition and exposure to new public information. Our work offers a new way to classify different types of exposure to government information, distinguishing between intentional and accidental exposure through various platforms.