The influence of trust in understanding citizens' behavior to use social media for e-government services

Abstract

Due to high uncertainties in using social media for e-government services, it is critical to build citizens trust to encourage their acceptance of these services. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of trust on citizens’ intention to use social media for e-government services. TAM was used as a theoretical foundation to examine the effect of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness on trust and citizens’ intention to use social media for e-government services. The results of this study are based on a survey sample of 457 Pakistani citizens’ by employing SmartPLS3.0 in the data analysis. The results confirm the significant effect of trust on citizens’ intention to use social media for e-government services. It was also found that citizens’ perception of ease of use and usefulness of e-government services predict their trust and intention to use these services. The findings from this study are useful for policy makers and government organizations to increase citizens’ participation in social media for e-government services.