eGovernment

wild_eyed

im writing a repot on the egovernment strategy, which plans for the delivery of public services to the net, and i believe that there are many threats facing such a move as this but am hitting a block wall in terms of what these threats are.

for example, there wud be an unwillingness to change over if the community at large are used to dealing with the traditional approach of government services, what other threats are facing the egov strategy?

mr_angry

I'd say malfunction and interference were pretty high on the list...

wild_eyed

i can see how malfunction of a database of some kind or a website being down at the very moment in time that it's needed may create havoc, but what interference? how'd ya mean?

tricky D

Off the top of the head

Public mistrust

Dodgy solutions/implementations like the evoting thing: old tech (15 yrs i think), docs in dutch, public mistrust, crap application.

Accessibility vs functionaility: e.g. for last 3 years ROS applet has been inaccessible to blind users at least, with no alternative e-method (last time i e-checked).

Information distribution gap/inequality of access: already stuff is pushed online with the dead paper versions coming months afterwards (a shure can't they print it from the site) and some ROS users get extra 3 weeks to file.

The divergent styles of media: e-interactions have their own idiosyncracies, writing email is different to letters. Dunno how these might manifest itrw.

Internal skills: like anywhere else, there are plenty of publics workers who can't tune the TV nevermind do other 'more complicated' computery interactions which would be reqd.

Union resistance if jobs get cut due to 'greater' efficiency.

mr_angry

Originally posted by wild_eyed
i can see how malfunction of a database of some kind or a website being down at the very moment in time that it's needed may create havoc, but what interference? how'd ya mean?

I was thinking of inadequate security allowing people to tamper with the results of an election. Or a malicious virus targeted at the electoral system at the right time could cause havok.

Sparks

Indeed. Google for "diebold" and see the fun and games that the US are having with their systems, which allowed someone to access the internal records of a polling booth during voting hours in an actual election (which is illegal, not to mention daft), and over a wireless connection no less.

Basicly, there's a lot of companies saying they have perfectly secure systems, but they're lying through their teeth. Voting systems have had serious flaws both in security and basic operation. And if voting systems with dedicated hardware and designs are so bad, why would internet polls be any better?

As an example, does anyone remember the "best song ever" competition the bbc website ran a while back? One email chain letter, and the poll was totally screwed up for a practical joke.

I'd want to be very sure of the implementation before trusting any e-government measure.