Avoiding bureaucratese: the impact of bureaucratic language in digital public encounters

Digital technologies have shifted many public encounters with government agencies to text-based channels, yet the effects of bureaucratic language on communication quality remain unclear. Drawing on over 300,000 encounters, we examine informational and relational dimensions of administrative language and find that bureaucratic language mainly lowers citizen satisfaction by reducing text readability, with no significant relational effect. These effects do not depend on whether citizens’ demands are resolved. These findings suggest that simplifying linguistic formats and targeting communication quality, particularly in terms of accessibility, can enhance citizens’ experiences with digital communication at low cost.