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Cyberspace as an Extended Policy Domain for Citizen Well-being: ICT Competitiveness, Government Capacity, and Subjective Well-being

Hemin Choi & Tobin Im

Information Polity2026https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255251400515article
ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This study examines how national-level ICT development, cybersecurity governance, and government capacity influence subjective well-being across 169 countries. As digital interactions increasingly influence daily life, cyberspace has emerged as a critical policy domain for each country with substantial implications for citizen welfare. Using cross-national indices and multivariate analyses, we find that cybersecurity governance has a significant and positive association with subjective well-being, with the association being notably stronger in high income countries than middle income countries. In contrast, broader ICT infrastructure quality and access do not consistently predict well-being outcomes. The findings call into question infrastructure-led models of digital development, pointing instead to the importance of institutional capacity. By reframing cyberspace as a core extension of state responsibility in the digital age, this study contributes to the broader discourse on digital-era public governance and calls for a shift toward citizen-centred, context-sensitive approaches to cyberspace governance.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255251400515

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@article{hemin2026,
  title        = {{Cyberspace as an Extended Policy Domain for Citizen Well-being: ICT Competitiveness, Government Capacity, and Subjective Well-being}},
  author       = {Hemin Choi & Tobin Im},
  journal      = {Information Polity},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/15701255251400515},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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