Coordinating Digital Responsibility: Public Perceptions of Content Governance in Non‐Western Contexts

ABSTRACT The global surge of harmful online content—ranging from disinformation and hate speech to incivility and cyberbullying—has raised pressing concerns about the integrity of digital information and the health of public discourse. A research primarily focuses on democratic societies, this study examines governance perceptions in tightly regulated environments. Drawing on an online survey in China, we investigate how citizens allocate responsibility across government, platforms, and individuals. Results reveal a strong consensus on intervention and a layered attribution of responsibility shaped by psycho‐political dispositions such as paternalism, right‐wing authoritarianism, online political efficacy, and social responsibility. We introduce the “Orchestra of Digital Coordination” metaphor, conceptualizing digital governance as a coordinated, multi‐actor performance in which responsibilities are differentiated yet interdependent. The findings underscore a broader implication: sustainable digital governance hinges not only on institutional design but also on the perceptual frameworks through which citizens make governance arrangements as legitimate. Related Articles Robles, P., and D. J. Mallinson. 2023. “Catching Up With AI: Pushing Toward a Cohesive Governance Framework.” Politics & Policy 51, no. 3: 355–372. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12529 . Veloso Meireles, A. 2024. “Digital Rights in Perspective: The Evolution of the Debate in the Internet Governance Forum.” Politics & Policy 52, no. 1: 12–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12571 . Zeng, J., T. Stevens, and Y. Chen. 2017. “China's Solution to Global Cyber Governance: Unpacking the Domestic Discourse of ‘Internet Sovereignty’.” Politics & Policy 45, no. 3: 432–464. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12202 .