Social inclusion and digital divide: eParticipation dilemmas in municipalities

Citizen-participation faces a large number of obstacles. eParticipation is considered to be one of the key tools to ensure effective state-to-citizen communication. A number of initiatives have led to the creation of eParticipation platforms, enabling digital participation online via ICT technologies. Even though these solutions have been introduced, the overall citizen participation remains at a relatively low level, and in general eParticipation objectives have not been fully met. One of the main reasons identified, why the initiatives fall short on participation, is the problem of digital divide and social exclusion. We present a study on eParticipation in municipalities, based on an opinion-mining project in an Irish city. We provide preliminary results and our conclusions after conducting a specific initiative. We identify key factors and decisions that have led towards a promising initiative in the field of eParticipation.