Abstract
A major challenge for improving the quality of democracy in Latin America is building more effective accountability mechanisms. The lack of accountability of public officials fosters an environment conducive to corruption, impunity, and inappropriate use of public resources, all of which undermine democratic legitimacy in the region. Civil society is a category of actors well-known to act as a significant force in creating accountability. Information and communication technology (ICT) has enabled civil society sectors, like activist and independent media organizations, to increase their reach. And yet, ICT’s role in creating venues for societal accountability in Latin America and its implications for ongoing democratization processes in the region has received little attention in the literature. Thus, in a context where effective oversight systems of public officials do not exist, this paper asks how ICT can create societal accountability. This question is particularly relevant in Latin America, where limited education and little information about politics create massive information asymmetries between public officials and the average citizen, giving the former ample opportunities to act without regard for the latter’s interests.
Recommended Citation
Ortiz, Jose, "The Under-studied Role of ICT in Creating Venues of Societal Accountability in Latin America" (2024). AMCIS 2024 TREOs. 43.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/treos_amcis2024/43