An Empirical Investigation of the Citizens’ Freedom of Expression and Trust in Public Agency to use Social Media in Post-Communist Countries: The Case of Mongolia

Purpose - This empirical study examined the influence of post-communist countries sociol-political factor of freedom of expression preconditioning, and trust in agency, mediating performance expectancy of social media users representing the citizens’ behavioural intention to utilize social media in a post-communist country, the case of Mongolia. Design/methodology/approach - This research collected 403 valid survey data from citizens those who use social media in Mongolia. The study used Partial Least Squire (PLS) analysis with the research conceptual model founded on the UTAUT model. Findings The study shown that citizens in post-communist, they strongly willing freedom of expression, which driving as a positive precondition factor, and this has an indirect positive influence, and trust in agency mediates to enhance performance expectancy. Social influence, and effort expectancy factors have direct positive influence on the intention to use of social media systems in the public sector domain of Mongolia. Research implications or Originality This research proposed a new model to test citizens’ intention to use social media as a communication tool to engage with public organizations in the pre-adoption stage of post-communist countries. Theoretically, this research builds up to the unique theoretical contribution with social media by examining a new social media-based third-party intercommunication medium, incorporating intent to utilize for citizens with government in post-communist countries. Practically, this article lays out the directions to aid social media usage for government sector with concerning citizens intentions in the post-communist situation.