Abstract

Government communication plays an important role in gaining public engagement and enhance community attitudes towards the government. Nowadays, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that governments can use to enhance their communication efforts. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the practice of government communication through social media and public engagement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Recognizing a gap in the existing literature, this research focuses on how government communication through social media practice should be enhancing public engagement, particularly in the context of the dissemination of the government public policy. The study adopted a quantitative research approach in data collection and data analysis. A set of survey questionnaire, adapted from existing instruments was distributed online to social media users in three emirates of UAE. The findings are expected to demonstrate that effective strategies of social media usage for the UAE government. This research offered valuable insights for policymakers and communication professionals, contributing to the theoretical understanding of media dependency and practical applications in government communication.