IMPACTS OF IT ON DEMOCRACY KIM VIBORG ANDERSEN Professor, Ph.D. Center for Research on IT in Policy Settings (CIPS) DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATICS, COPENHAGEN BUSINESS SCHOOL, DENMARK ICELAND August 26-27, 2004
Agenda Cause and impacts Domains of government activities Areas of impacts Focus on value distribution Implications for policies
Cause and impacts Models of democracy (explicit versus implicit) Timelag in impacts to materialize Technology or complex interplay The need for analysis Fragmented and ad hoc applications and research
Involvement of users/ citizens Front services Governmental administration The role and dimensions of government Policy input
Categorization: four main domains of impacts Capabilities Interactions Orientations Value distributions (Andersen and Danziger 1994; Andersen and Danziger 2002).
Involvement of users/ citizens Front services Governmental administration The role and dimensions of government Domains of impacts Policy input Capability Interaction Orientation Values Domains of impacts and role of government
From capabilities to value Information quality Effectiveness Efficiency A Interaction B Case work Quantitative methods C Privacy Job enhancement Stress/ health D
Domains of impacts Capability Interaction Orientation Values Effectiveness Efficiency Information access & quality 100% (N=112) Public Adm. and the Political World ( )* E-government ( ) 18% 20% 18% 22% 6% 14% Total 48% 28% 6% 18% 100% (N=49) 18% 17% 13% 58% * Andersen & Danziger, 1994/ 2002
Value distribution Protection and improvement of the privacy sphere Job satisfaction and enrichment Job enlargement Protection of legal rights Improved standard of health, safety and well- being
privacy User contact Number of cases (Law enforced) transparency B C A D
Privacy example 1 New institutions Evaluation of courses - students reaction - administration - teachers Initial resistance
Privacy example 2 Log files of meetings as well as formal communication of the results Privacy concerns extended to process and end
Implications for policies Values and in particular policies on privacy and security in demand Communities develop alternative mechanisms