Bridging trust through institution and process: how does digital government increase citizens’ trust in local government?

This study integrates the institution-based and process-based trust theories to examine the real-world policy effect of digital government on citizens’ trust in local government. By analysing a representative longitudinal survey data from China, we find that digital government significantly enhances citizens’ trust in local government. Digital government enhances trust by improving perceptions of government institutions, boosting satisfaction with government performance, and reducing concerns about social issues. Individuals with higher demands for public service are more influenced by digital government. Moreover, our results challenge the digital divide theory, demonstrating that the benefits of digital government extend to less digitally skilled individuals.