Civic engagement moving online: Empirical examination of its antecedents during the COVID-19 pandemic

We live in a technologically advanced era with a marked dependence on digital technologies. Simultaneously, we face increasingly frequent and diverse large-scale emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Civic engagement refers to the range of activities of people working to impact public life in communities, both offline and online. This study investigates the antecedents of online emergency-oriented civic engagement. We focus on states of emergency and develop a framework to explain the emergence of online emergency-oriented civic engagement compared to offline engagement. Using data from 612 Israelis during the COVID-19 pandemic, we demonstrate major differences between the antecedents of online and offline emergency-oriented civic engagement. Trust in government has a modest impact on online emergency-oriented civic engagement. However, citizens’ perceptions about participation in decision-making, uncertainty and risk cognition add explanatory power through mediating and moderating relationships. Implications and recommendations for future studies are suggested.