Digital initiatives may have helped to maintain active social networks during restrictive, social distancing measures of the COVID‐19 pandemic. To examine how and under which circumstances digital initiatives can contribute to social cohesion, semistructured interviews with 35 stakeholders of local communities and clubs were conducted. The thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews identified four main themes, characterizing conditions under which digital initiatives successfully contributed to social cohesion. First, preexisting digital routines need to be considered. Information and communications technology (ICT) routines, even if limited, need to be extended for digital initiatives to be successfully integrated into communities. Second, acquiring ICT skills are not a technical but a social problem. Members with limited prior knowledge relied heavily on strong ties to improve their ICT skills to become part of digital networks. Third, social media fatigue is particularly prevalent in those with limited prior ICT experience. Importantly, individual withdrawal from digital networks, resulting from SMF, had a knock‐on effect on others. Finally, communities that were not engaging with ICT dissipated. As such, ICT may contribute to social capital by maintaining social engagement in social networks, particularly if providing additional benefits to the community.

中文翻译：

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信息通信技术在维护社会凝聚力中的作用：了解农村地区社交网络数字化举措的潜力☆


数字举措可能有助于在 COVID-19 大流行的限制性社交距离措施期间维持活跃的社交网络。为了研究数字化举措如何以及在什么情况下可以促进社会凝聚力，我们对当地社区和俱乐部的 35 个利益相关者进行了半结构化访谈。对转录采访的主题分析确定了四个主题，描述了数字举措成功促进社会凝聚力的条件。首先，需要考虑现有的数字惯例。信息和通信技术 (ICT) 惯例即使有限，也需要扩展，才能将数字举措成功融入社区。其次，获取ICT技能不是一个技术问题，而是一个社会问题。先前知识有限的成员严重依赖牢固的联系来提高他们的信息通信技术技能，成为数字网络的一部分。第三，对于那些先前 ICT 经验有限的人来说，社交媒体疲劳尤其普遍。重要的是，SMF 导致个人退出数字网络，对其他人产生了连锁反应。最后，不参与信息通信技术的社区消失了。因此，信息通信技术可以通过维持社交网络中的社会参与来为社会资本做出贡献，特别是如果为社区提供额外的好处的话。