A global govtech sector is emerging to make government more efficient. But is that always the best thing for democracy?
Dr Tanya Filer wrote an opinion piece in WIRED.
She commented: “Govtech is still in gestation, but it is developing quickly. If the sector can settle on an identity as mission-oriented towards efficiency and democratic accountability, then I’m confident that it can be a sustainable channel both for productivity gains and remaking citizens’ satisfaction and trust in government. But we have no reason to assume that the sector will develop that way organically. As internet giants’ struggles to comply with GDPR show, the shape of a tech sector can be highly path dependent, and reactively reforming them to work better for citizens is onerous for everyone. If we want govtech to fortify democracy, we must build it that way while we have the chance.”
Read the complete article on WIRED.
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy.
