Facebook as political engagement: The case of Hong Kong

The definition and forms of political engagement evolve with the passage of time, technological innovations, different political and societal developments. Facebook has become a form of political engagement that cannot be neglected in many countries, often fostering and reinforcing other forms of political engagements, both new and traditional. The internet has played a transformative role in the development of political engagement and Facebook acts as a catalyst in such transformation. Facebook can serve not only as a form of political engagement at the cognitive awareness level, but also at the expressive as well as at the action level. In Hong Kong which is essentially liberal, yet not fully democratic, Facebook has a special role to play in the political arena, emerging as an indispensable political tool that deserves attention. Recently, political parties, politicians, activists, those interested in politics in Hong Kong and even the government use the Facebook for different political purposes. Though Facebook brings about changes in political engagement in Hong Kong, this should not be exaggerated. Whether Facebook will remain a significant force in Hong Kong political scene depends on whether Facebook continues to enjoy wide spread acceptance or becomes even more popular in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2013 Symposium on Citizenship Education.