LocationsCitizens, Not Customers: Reimagining Digital
September 11, 2024
By remembering that citizens are more than customers, we can build digital systems that don't just deliver services efficiently, but nurture the very foundations of democratic society.
Imagine a small island nation, excited about modernizing its electoral process. The government introduces an e-voting system, proudly marketing it as a convenient ‘service’ for citizen ‘customers’. Sleek, efficient, and cutting-edge - it seems like a win for democracy in the digital age.
But as a contentious election approaches, a troubling reality emerges. The system, designed with urban, technologically savvy users in mind, proves challenging for many rural and older voters. What was meant to enhance democratic participation instead creates barriers. The narrow focus on ‘customer satisfaction’ for some leads to a democratic deficit for many.
This scenario, while somewhat hypothetical, illustrates a critical issue in the digital transformation of governance: the danger of viewing citizens merely as customers.
We've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of technology, including in our region, the Pacific. But I've also seen the pitfalls of applying a largely market-driven approach to digital development; an approach solely based on the perceived demands or needs of the marketplace.
It's time we shift our perspective from technocentric to what we call Whole of Society (WOS) Digital.
The Customer Service Fallacy
It's tempting to view government digitalization through the lens of customer service. After all, who doesn't want more efficient, user-friendly public services? But this perspective has a dangerous blind spot.
A recent UNESCO paper on AI and Democracy put it succinctly: "Democracy is not a service provider, and citizens should not be considered satisfied customers."
This insight resonates deeply with our work in the Pacific. When we reduce citizenship to a consumer relationship, we risk losing sight of the collective nature of democracy. We forget that citizens are not just recipients of services, but active participants in shaping their societies. However, in our efforts to engage citizens, we must also recognize that the scope of their needs and aspirations may extend beyond what they can currently articulate.
This means we need to cast our net wider – starting with the voices of our citizens, but also exploring innovative approaches that anticipate and respond to emerging needs. By doing so, we can ensure that democracy not only serves its people but also evolves with them. The customer service model, while well-intentioned, carries several risks.
In the Pacific context, where community ties are strong and collective decision-making is often the norm, this distinction is particularly crucial. Our digital initiatives must reflect and build on these cultural values, not erode them.
Whole of Society (WOS) Digital
At UNDP Pacific, we're championing a different approach: Whole of Society (WOS) Digital. This approach goes beyond mere digitalization of services. It's about using technology to empower citizens, strengthen democratic institutions, and foster inclusive development.
Key principles of our WOS Digital approach include:
Human rights focus: We place a strong emphasis on human rights-based policy and regulatory frameworks in all our digital initiatives.
Inclusivity: We actively work to empower civil society, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups to participate in shaping the digital transformation agenda.
Capacity building: We invest heavily in enhancing the capacities of both governments and civil society to drive rights-based, inclusive digital transformation.
Regional cooperation: We facilitate south-south cooperation and regional dialogues to share knowledge on inclusive digital transformation.
Addressing digital harms: Along with e-government and e-participation, we emphasize countering disinformation, hate speech, and online harms.
The WOS Digital approach is deeply aligned with, and inspired by, the broader vision set out in the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and the UNDP Digital Strategy, which emphasize inclusive, rights-based digital transformation as a global imperative. Tailored for the unique challenges and opportunities of the Pacific Islands, WOS Digital translates those into locally resonant strategies and solutions.
WOS Digital in Action
Let's look at some concrete examples of how this approach plays out in our work:
The Road Ahead
As we navigate the digital transformation of the Pacific, let's not lose sight of the bigger picture. Technology should serve society as a whole, not reshape them in the image of the market.
By remembering that citizens are more than customers, we can build digital systems that don't just deliver services efficiently, but nurture the very foundations of democratic society. This is the essence of our Whole of Society Digital approach.
The future of digital development in the Pacific isn't just about technology – it's about empowering citizens, strengthening communities, and building a more inclusive and democratic digital future for all.