e-Government Internal Effects – The Policy Implications March 11, 2002

ICTs – Potential Policy Uses information dissemination information gathering – from the public (e-input, e-democracy) – from the Internet

ICTs, Information Gathering, and Public Policy “With the establishment of the US government data Web site in 1997, a ten-year-old could gain access to more and better data than a senior official could have done just five years earlier.” Yergin and Stanislaw, 1998 demands on government to process information – quantity – speed requirements – policy capacity – costs!!! nothing that necessitates that government develop capacity

ICTs, Information Gathering, and Public Policy information overload -- filtering and synthesis required “The limited capacity of the human brain to absorb and process information remains a brutal constraint...” R. Gualtieri, OECD – who filters and synthesizes information may transfer some power to lower and middle level bureaucrats – how is information filtered hierarchy – complexity increasing amounts of available information may make decision- making process more complex may hinder transparency and limit participation

ICTs, Information Gathering, and Public Policy information overload -- filtering and synthesis required internal resistance – senior ranks unwilling to cede power to lower and middle levels – generational preferences of political and bureaucratic leaders can the potential of e-government survive the lag?

ICTs – Potential Policy Uses potential uses in public policy information gathering information dissemination – gov’ts sceptical re: info gathering function – gov’ts eager re: info dissemination – WHY?

ICTs, Information Dissemination, and Public Policy spin – speed – targetability – unmediated contact with public media is disintermediated! legitimacy without transparency

e-Government External Resistance and Constraints

Public Perceptions of the Internet favourable – maintaining favourable public perceptions will require that government deal with two potential problems...

External Constraints/Resistance public perception of the perils public perception of the perils the “digital divide” the “digital divide”

Public Perception of Perils security/privacy security/privacy choice and coercion choice and coercion accountability accountability

Public Perception of Perils – Security and Privacy “Privacy and security are not just hurtles to portal expansion; they are potential brick walls.”Deloitte, 2000 “Privacy and security are not just hurtles to portal expansion; they are potential brick walls.”Deloitte, 2000

Public Perception of Perils – Security and Privacy e-government and data compilation e-government and data compilation to offer services to offer services however, incentives for other uses! however, incentives for other uses! security and privacy concerns become greater as governments move across e-government continuum security and privacy concerns become greater as governments move across e-government continuum

Public Perception of Perils – Security and Privacy e-government and data compilation e-government and data compilation security and privacy concerns become greater as governments move across e-government continuum security and privacy concerns become greater as governments move across e-government continuum technology can be used to increase security and privacy technology can be used to increase security and privacy – electronic monitoring of information access what will matter is how these factors play out what will matter is how these factors play out

Public Perception of Perils – Choice and Coercion perception of coercion may generate backlash/resistance perception of coercion may generate backlash/resistance

Public Perception of Perils -- Accountability requirements for advanced services fit well with New Public Management requirements for advanced services fit well with New Public Management – focus on results rather than process – “let the managers manage” HOWEVER... HOWEVER... – shares the same political vulnerability as NPM – what happens when things screw up? – who will be held responsible for failures in widely- shared e-government services

External Constraints/Resistance public perception of the perils public perception of the perils – what will determine how e-government proceeds is the timing and unfolding of the politics of government-public interaction

External Constraints/Resistance public perception of the perils public perception of the perils the “digital divide” the “digital divide”

The Digital Divide the gap between those who have access to the Internet and those who do not the gap between those who have access to the Internet and those who do not “...Internet access is segmented heavily along social class, educational and generational lines.” Ekos Research 1998 “...Internet access is segmented heavily along social class, educational and generational lines.” Ekos Research 1998 highest income household five times more likely to use the Internet than those in lowest income households Statistics Canada 1999 highest income household five times more likely to use the Internet than those in lowest income households Statistics Canada 1999 concerns regarding exclusion become greater as governments move across e-government continuum concerns regarding exclusion become greater as governments move across e-government continuum

Digital Divide MAIN POINTS... MAIN POINTS... – differences in penetration rates are large – however, they are declining

Government Policies to Address the Digital Divide Connecting Canadians Connecting Canadians – SchoolNet Internet access of all schools in Canada Internet access of all schools in Canada achieved 1999 achieved 1999 – LibraryNet providing public access to the Internet through public libraries providing public access to the Internet through public libraries – Community Access Program free public access to the Internet in public spaces free public access to the Internet in public spaces

The Digital Divide...Significance for e-Government size and nature of divide size and nature of divide – at what levels will the gaps come to rest will depend in part on other factors will depend in part on other factors –literacy –income inequality –educational opportunity – what level of gaps are acceptable

The Digital Divide size and nature of divide size and nature of divide is e-government any more exclusive than traditional methods of political participation? is e-government any more exclusive than traditional methods of political participation? – who is currently excluded? How? will the e-excluded constitute powerful resistance? will the e-excluded constitute powerful resistance? low income low income low educational attainment low educational attainment elderly elderly