THE GOVERNANCE OF RESPONSIVENESS: NORMATIVE OBLIGATIONS AND SOFT SOCIAL CONTROL IN DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

In contemporary digital society, responsiveness in digital communication is increasingly shaped by social obligation rather than individual choice. While digital sociology has examined availability norms, reachability expectations and subtle forms of disciplinary power, responsiveness itself has rarely been empirically examined as a distinct normative force. This paper introduces the concept of normative responsiveness, defined as the socially produced obligation to respond within an implicitly acceptable timeframe, where responsiveness operates as a moral and relational expectation rather than a purely technical act. The study adopts a qualitative ‘netnographic’ design to explore the case of undergraduate students from Faculty of Indigenous Social Sciences and Management Studies, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Sri Lanka by systematically analysing their digital interactions and communications via WhatsApp and social media. The findings show that expectations regarding the timing and tone of responses transform responsiveness into a form of soft social control, operating through internalised norms and anticipatory self–discipline rather than formal sanctions. Delayed or no responses are commonly interpreted as rudeness or disengagement, prompting anticipatory apologies or justifications. By shifting analytical attention from connectivity to compliance, the paper highlights normative responsiveness as a significant yet under–examined force shaping digital social relations, with implications for digital well–being and academic life.