data.dta

Transparency is often advocated as a key strategy for increasing public trust in government, but empirical findings on its effectiveness remain inconclusive. By integrating an information processing perspective with transparency literature, this study argues that citizens interpret government information differently based on their media use patterns, partisan identity, and values, which in turn leads to varying effects of transparency on trust in government. Using individual-level survey data combined with provincial-level data from China, the study finds that transparency on provincial government websites is positively correlated with trust in local government. This positive effect is particularly pronounced among CCP members, individuals who frequently use traditional media, and those with stronger authoritarian values.