September Digital Matters

This month’s Digital Matters–our monthly round-up of news, research, events, and notable uses of tech–showcases how emerging work in the digital public infrastructure (DPI) sphere is looking more closely at meaningful safeguards and governance, community-driven solutions, and inclusivity in public services. From DPI momentum at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to more local proofs of concept in government services, this month’s Digital Matters is focused on the users.

DPI requires cross-sector expertise and localized insights to provide users with solutions that meet their needs. But tech is never a one size fits all solution. Conversations across all levels of government must concentrate on how to safeguard users. Without meaningful safeguards, there will never be enough trust to effectively scale DPIs to a whole-of-society approach in an inclusive way. The release of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework marks a critical step. The framework isn’t set in stone, it is a living tool that relies on sustained community engagement and learning from in-country implementation.

DPI is critical to economic growth and development. But it is accompanied by concerns about the potential for surveillance abuse, privacy violations, and risks of a monopolization of digital infrastructure. There are urgent calls to prevent big tech companies from exerting additional unchecked control over our digital ecosystem. Policymakers are recognizing that the need to reclaim digital infrastructure as a public good is urgent to ensure that the digital sphere remains open, accessible and inclusive for all.

We also continue to highlight open source software as an area that could drive a profound shift in how governments approach and administer public programs. At the Digital Impact & Governance Initiative (DIGI), we are keyed in on how open source solutions can provide flexibility, transparency, and interoperability for public services. By embracing this approach, governments can reduce their reliance on potentially costly, closed technologies and build adaptable solutions that are accountable to the public.

Finally, our team has been working on a research collaboration and released the first piece in our series: Infrastructure for the Digital Age. This series will feature perspectives from experts and practitioners with backgrounds in public interest technology, computer science, law, ethics, and economic development. We hope that it sparks conversations and new forms of thinking around building DPI solutions. Stay tuned for more!

Focusing on infrastructure and governance

Next week, global DPI experts will convene at the Global DPI Summit in Cairo, Egypt. Digital sovereignty is a top issue for governments to contend with. A safeguards framework and better standards around interoperability could help with trust issues on this front.

UN Releases Universal DPI Safeguards Framework to Promote Safe and Inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure by the United Nations Development Programme (September 24, 2024)

The endorsement of a digital public infrastructure (DPI) framework at last year’s G20 Summit marked a shift toward incorporating DPI into global policy conversations and actions. Building on that momentum, earlier this week, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) unveiled the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework. This release goes hand-in-hand with the Global Digital Compact, an international commitment for governments to take concrete steps toward creating a safer, more secure digital space.

Event Recording: Toward European Digital Independence: Building the Euro Stack (European Parliament, Brussels, September 23, 2024)

This one day convening features panels with leading experts to discuss the building blocks of a secure and accountable digital public infrastructure, and how they can be deployed to ensure European digital independence.

Powering progress: How Digital Public Infrastructure is transforming Latin America and the Caribbean by Sharmista Appaya, David Porteous and Axel Rifon Pérez, World Bank (September 24, 2024)

DPI is central to the ongoing digital transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This recent joint report from the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank sheds light on the progress, challenges, and opportunities for DPI in the region. It’s driven by surveys and interviews with policymakers and digital leaders from 18 LAC countries, providing a snapshot of the diverse stages of DPI implementation.

Improving public programs and services

Smaller efforts related to digital service delivery showcase how community-driven or more specific approaches to the development of digital public infrastructure (DPI) can more easily address the specific needs of users that may be difficult to identify in larger, top-down efforts. Building off the proofs of concept behind these projects can ultimately contribute to a more inclusive digital ecosystem.

My File NYC — PATH Pilot Case Study by NYC Opportunity (August 13, 2024)

The DIGI team is proud to partner with NYC Opportunity on transforming how residents interact with essential government services with My File. My File is a mobile-friendly open-source tool for document storage and sharing in public services. Partnering with city agencies who provide public health and human services is essential to understand the nuances of the program and needs of the users. The system exemplifies how a simple technological solution can be deployed to make public services safe and more accessible. Currently piloted with the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), My File streamlines the application process for temporary housing assistance, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and service delays. DIGI is working on a white label version of My File to power scaling and replication opportunities, and to demonstrate that public solutions designed with open source code and principles represent an effective model for service delivery.

U.S. Department of State just launched a new online passport renewal system by the U.S. Department of State (September 18, 2024)

Advancing the goals of President Biden’s Executive Order, Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government, the U.S. State Department launched an easy-to-use passport renewal system earlier this month. With just a few clicks, Americans can conveniently and efficiently renew their passports online, cutting down roughly one-third the time at the same point last summer. This new alternative to the typical paper-heavy process is a move toward digital transformation in the United States.

Capturing the Impact of Public Benefits Coordination by Jason Ewas & Rachel Black, Aspen Institute (September 12, 2024)

Over the past year, Aspen Institute partnered with the federal government’s interagency Facing a Financial Shock team and hosted working groups committed to improving public benefits delivery. Nearly 400 participants, including leaders from 29 states, attended the working groups, helping states learn from each other and connect with federal partners. States aligned common challenges and discussed creative ways to improve public service delivery options.

When public values and user-centricity in e-government collide – A systematic review, by Linda Weigl, Tamara Roth, Alexandre Amard and Liudmila Zavolokina, Government Information Quarterly (September 2024)

The authors of this recent article argue that user-centricity in e-government could be a double-edged sword. While it helps governments design digital services tailored to the needs of citizens, it may also increase the burden on users and deepen the digital divide. Findings are derived from a literature review on public values and user-centricity. The need to address this conflict will only increase with rapid technological innovation. In response to these insights, the authors outline a need for further research into representation, accountability and pluralism.

Strengthening civic engagement and community with digital tools

What if digital public infrastructure (DPI) wasn’t just a framework for accessing essential digital services? Across different fields of expertise, there is a growing realization that DPI may be able to do more than just deliver services–it can also be used as a tool for fostering meaningful and inclusive civic participation. The possibilities for greater civic participation are evolving due to digital tools, but it is essential to guide this evolution with policies that strengthen communities and promote digital literacy.

Digital Participation Infrastructure: Q&A with Audrey Tang and Beth Simone Noveck by Allison Price and Silvana Rodriguez (September 19, 2024)

In the first piece of a new DIGI research series, thought leaders Audrey Tang (The Collective Intelligence Project) and Beth Simone Noveck (The Burnes Center for Social Change and The Governance Lab) propose looking at DPI as a tool toward strengthening civic participation. Their vision widens the lens on digital infrastructure, focusing on the platforms and processes that enable communities to collaborate, co-create, and participate in democracy. Tang and Noveck’s reframing provides valuable insights for policymakers who are looking to build healthier and more inclusive digital ecosystems.

Introducing the Connective Tissue Policy Framework by Sam Pressler, Connective Tissue (September 10, 2024)

Many Americans today are left feeling less connected to their communities than at any point point in the last century. Sam Pressler created the Connective Tissue framework to tackle this issue head-on. He launched this novel framework to help policymakers set an actionable starting point for regenerating connection within American communities. Pinpointing over 150+ policy opportunities across 13 different policy priorities, he provides guidance for local, state, and federal leaders to foster stronger, more resilient communities. Pressler’s call to reconnect communities and put the public first when designing technology aligns with the ethos of DPI. DPI, when effectively and safely deployed, can offer a path to enhance civic life and community-centered digital experiences.

Exploring Paths to a U.S. Digital Skills Framework (And Why We Need One) by Jessica Dine, New America’s Open Technology Institute (August 30, 2024)

As rapidly evolving technologies become more integrated in everyday life, the need for digital literacy and inclusion efforts becomes increasingly urgent. A significant challenge facing the implementation of digital public infrastructure is the ability for people to effectively navigate and engage with new technologies. Jessica Dine, an analyst at New America’s Open Technology Institute, published a working draft of an article arguing for the creation of a national digital skills framework in the U.S. so more people can more effectively access and understand digital solutions.

Looking forward

EVENT RECORDING: Digital Public Infrastructure: What’s Next after the Global Digital Compact? (September 24, 2024)

The International Peace Institute, the UN Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, and UNDP co-hosted a policy forum on “Digital Public Infrastructure: What’s Next after the Global Digital Compact?” A write up from the event is posted here.

REPORT LAUNCH: Freedom on the Net 2024–The Struggle for Trust Online

Join Freedom House for the launch of the annual Freedom on the Net report. Following an online presentation on key findings from the 2024 report, experts will discuss global trends, country-specific developments, and best practices for how to protect internet freedom.

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