Does Internet Connect to Social Justice Perception in China?

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Economics
• Digital Technology Impact

Background:

• Digital technology advancement presents social and economic challenges globally.
• Persistent inequalities in resource and opportunity distribution worldwide.
• Growing Internet penetration in China, reaching 73% of the population by 2021.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically evaluate the impact of Internet utilization on individuals' perception of social justice in China.
• To quantify the effect of Internet use on perceived social justice.
• To explore policy implications for addressing digital divides and social justice.

Main Methods:

• Utilized household survey datasets for empirical analysis.
• Employed multivariate regressions, alternative model specifications, and datasets for robustness checks.
• Applied instrumental variable estimation with regional rainfall for causal inference.

Main Results:

• Internet utilization shows a significant negative effect on perceived social justice (-5% overall).
• An estimated 5 million individuals may perceive societal injustice due to Internet use.
• Stronger negative effects observed among males, in eastern provinces, and urban areas.

Conclusions:

• Internet utilization is linked to decreased perceptions of social justice in China.
• Findings suggest a need for targeted public interventions focused on justice cultivation and information transparency.
• Policy implications address the socio-economic challenges arising from digital technology adoption.