信任危机抑或信任契机:数字技术如何重塑社会信任?

Trust Crisis or Trust Opportunity:How Does Digital Technology Reshape Social Trust?

基于2010—2019年285个城市的面板数据,以国家大数据试验区作为数字技术发展的政策代表,通过双重差分模型实证检验数字技术发展如何重塑社会信任的系列问题。研究结果表明:第一,国家大数据试验区政策实施在总体上对社会信任具有正面影响,即数字技术发展是社会信任建立的契机,该结论在系列稳健性检验基础上依然成立。第二,国家大数据试验区政策能够通过赋能地方政府治理进而增强社会信任。具体而言,数字技术发展有益于提升以经济建设能力、民生改善能力、环境治理能力、公共服务供给能力为代表的地方政府治理能力,而地方政府治理能力提升是增强社会信任的有效抓手。第三,国家大数据试验区对社会信任的政策效果会受到地理位置、基础设施、创新能力与收入差距等因素的影响。研究结论既为数字技术发展的社会价值开辟了全新视角,也为数字技术赋能政府治理的现实价值提供了经验证据。

Based on the panel data of 285 cities from 2010 to 2019,and taking the National Big Data Pilot Zone as policy representative of digital technology development,this paper empirically tests a series of issues on how digital technology development reshapes social trust through the double difference model.The research results show that:firstly,the implementation of the policy of the National Big Data Pilot Zone has a positive impact on social trust in general,that is,the development of digital technology is an opportunity to build social trust.This conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests.Secondly,the policy of the National Big Data Pilot Zone can enhance social trust by empowering local government governance.Specifically,the development of digital technology is beneficial for enhancing local government governance capabilities represented by economic construction capabilities,people’s livelihood improvement capabilities,environmental governance capabilities,and public service supply capabilities.Improving local government governance capabilities is an effective way to enhance social trust.Thirdly,the policy effect of the National Big Data Pilot Zone on social trust is influenced by factors such as geographical location,infrastructure,innovation capacity,and income gap.The research conclusion not only opens up a new perspective on the social value of digital technology development,but also provides empirical evidence for the practical value of digital technology empowering government governance.