A study on how public policies affect legitimacy in virtual communities

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how public policies may influence the way members of virtual communities linked with social movements perceive the legitimacy of their leaders and governance structures.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on qualitative research (in‐depth interviews) with three Brazilian environmental education virtual communities. It adopts an interpretive approach, grounding the analysis in institutional theory.

Findings

The paper shows that a public policy of funding the studied communities has reinforced the legitimacy of some leaders and legitimated more centralised decision‐making structures. The influence of the funding has endured even after the end of the respective contracts.

Research limitations/implications

Although the paper is limited to three virtual communities in a very specific context, its conclusions may inform other studies on the institutional instruments (sanctions mechanisms) governments may appropriate to influence the virtual interactions among members of social movements and civil society organisations and which impact their offline interactions as well.

Practical implications

The paper calls attention to the need to discuss public policies with stakeholders, especially to permit social movements and civil society organisations to have a say in policies that may affect their social structures.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to understanding how public policies impact interactions in virtual environments and in a broader sense, and the relevance of considering the influence of institutions in online interactions.

Citation

Hercheui, M.D. (2010), "A study on how public policies affect legitimacy in virtual communities", Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 7-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/14779961011024783