Does Facebook penetration improve governance? A reflection on the World Governance Indicators of 185 countries

Purpose Social media creates a public sphere, which functions as the third wheel of governance. This study aims to examine the relationship between Facebook penetration and the World Bank’s World Governance Indicators. Design/methodology/approach First, a Pearson correlation was estimated between Facebook penetration and governance indicators. Second, ordinary least squares analysis was used to examine a variety of additional economic and population factors, including Facebook penetration. In both instances, the colinearity of the variables is examined. Findings The findings indicate that there is no conclusive correlation between Facebook penetration and governance; however, the opposite is true for developing, emerging and least developed countries, though the relationship is not uniform across regions. In addition, per capita gross domestic product and population dynamics, specifically the proportion of the population aged 15–64, have a significant impact on governance measures. The colinearity of the variables suggests that governance is a broad concept, and that the direct correlation between Facebook penetration and governance may be misleading. Research limitations/implications Future research should incorporate panel data from other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Reddit, to better understand temporal factors and the relationship between social media penetration and governance. Practical implications This paper opens up new avenue for investigation on the impact of social media on governance. Social implications This paper can contribute to the complexity of social media as means for voice and accountability. In addition, the paper mentions how social media can be used more neutrally to ensure exposure to diverse perspectives. Originality/value The growing importance of the internet and the popularity of social networking websites are generating a great deal of scholarly attention. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is almost no literature that links Facebook penetration and governance. This paper intends to fill this void.