Interaction Between Virtual and Real Systems: Can Social Organization Participation Mitigate the Negative Impact of Internet Use on Government Trust?

The spread of internet infrastructure has created a virtual social system of interactions. It facilitates communication. It also brings new challenges to state governance. Political stability relies on citizen trust in the government. Therefore, political trust is a key issue in public administration. However, this virtual system of social exchange influences the formation of trust in government. This study uses social exchange theory. Based on 5547 survey responses, it employs an ordinal regression model and an instrumental variables approach. It examines the relationship between internet use, social organization participation, and government trust. Empirical results show two main findings. First, internet use has a significant negative impact on government trust. Second, participation in social organizations reduces this negative impact. This mitigating effect is more pronounced in central and western provinces, among rural residents, the Han ethnic group, and women. Therefore, future internet governance should enhance citizen participation in social organizations. It should also develop diverse channels for public affairs management. These findings offer insights for improving state governance in the digital era.