Public services

Our modern society, especially in the Nordics, is getting increasingly digitalised. Great, from many perspectives. We can save resources, cut emissions, increase safety and make services more efficient and accessible. Heck, we’re even part of this digital race, as consultants. 

However, in our rush towards full digitalisation, we are creating a new form of vulnerability – digital exclusion. In a society where nearly every public service or convenience depends on digital literacy – and a bank ID – 20% are at risk of exclusion. That is an outrageous number. And at what cost?

A society that excludes one in five

To make matters worse, the 20% that are digitally vulnerable and at risk of not getting access to services that they need and have the right to, consists of the same groups of people who are also vulnerable in the physical world – elderly, immigrants, people with mental or physical disabilities, people with low-income, homeless. In other words, we’re building a society where vulnerability is punished twice – first in the real world, then in its digital twin. 

Double vulnerability is double punishment

In the end, designing services and products that are not accessible to everyone, especially when it comes to public such, is a threat to the welfare state and citizens’ ability to fulfill their rights. To claim that we are a fully democratic, free and equal society, we need to do better. Well, you might be thinking, what is the solution? 

Frankly, it’s a truly complex challenge where everything is connected to everything. It’s about asking the right questions, to the right people – namely the users. It’s about designing for everyone – not only for those who are already in the system. Moreover, it’s about measuring what we do to make it count. If nobody takes the political responsibility for inclusion, it will never happen. If companies don’t see that it’s a good business case to include, it will never happen.

To take the first step, someone needs to put down on paper how much digital exclusion costs society and private businesses in the shape of lost incomes, social vulnerability, crime, mental illness and lost revenue each year. Once that number is determined, we at EGGS believe we’ll see a dramatic increase in public procurements and private requests for inclusive design and development. 

A threat to democracy that we can’t afford to ignore

We know better than we are doing at the moment. We can do better, if we start acting together as one. And we can certainly afford it, as one of the richest countries in the world. What we can’t afford is to stick our head in the sand and let things continue to develop towards a polarised and parallel digital universe where the gap between the haves and the have nots is getting wider and wider.

Let’s call for action! Let’s call for change. We're in – are you?

On August 13 2024, Anders Kunz participated in IKT-Norge’s session on digital exclusion at the annual, democratic forum of Arendalsuka. At the event, Norway's Minister of Digitalisation, Karianne Tung, was also present. 
You can 

Watch the IKT Norway debate at Arendalsuka

The ethical guidelines that we have participated in developing will soon be launched, along with its own website. Watch this space!

Guidelines launch coming up

The hidden cost of digitalisation – digital exclusion and the threat to democracy