Ofcom (Office of Communication), the independent organization which regulates the UK's broadcasting, telecommunications and wireless communications sectors, recently released their Citizens' Digital Particiataion Research Report, an in-depth review of how well e-government fares.
According to their findings: "People do not necessarily identify their actions as 'citizen participation', but when we asked them about specific activities, it became apparent that most of them are, in fact, participating as citizens. The most significant variables that influence levels of participation among the general population sample are socio-economic group, qualifications and age, although internet access and confidence are also important.
"Citizen Participation, both online and offline, was highest among our online user sample. This is partly due to this group's characteristics (e.g. a higher socio-economic group) but also because, as confident online users, they can carry out more citizen participation activities via the internet.
"The internet is an important channel for citizen participation, and even more so for related citizen activities. Those with the internet at home displayed higher levels of citizen participation in all groups surveyed, including those living in areas of multiple deprivation.
"The internet makes citizen participation easier. This is partly because it saves time, which is one of the main reported barriers to participation, and it seems that the internet is both supplementing and replacing traditional channels for citizen participation. But this may mean that a proportion of the population may become disenfranchised as digital citizen participation and other online related citizen activity grows."
"Those living in areas of multiple deprivation generally engage less in citizen participation activities compared to the general population. The main reported barrier to this group's participation is lack of interest, but internet access, lack of awareness, trust and confidence are also barriers to online participation. Those with internet access at home in areas of multiple deprivation exhibit greater levels of citizen participation than those without access. However, people living in areas of multiple deprivation are less likely to know what can be done online, and more likely to question the effectiveness of digital participation [my emphasis]."
In fact, according to a current iWire article, Ed Richards, head of Ofcom, recently told a meeting at the London School of Economics that 40 percent of homes in the UK do not have access to broadband and half them didn't want it even though they could afford it. Whether self-excluded or not, 20 percent of Brits could be left behind by e-government.
The research report correctly highlights the apparent widening gap of the U.K. digital divide. Though not in fact widening, the existing gap appears to widen when viewed against the backdrop of increasing government use of the Internet as a tool and channel of citizen services.
As the report puts it: "While these new [Internet] channels may raise levels of engagement, they also pose a challenge: a significant section of the population, lacking access to these technologies or the confidence to use them, may become increasingly disengaged [my emphasis].
According to the report, 90% of the general population sample have 'ever' taken part in some sort of citizen participation activity and three-quarters (75%) have done so in the past year. In addition, around two-thirds have 'ever' taken part in more than two activities and almost one-third have taken part in more than two activities in the past year.
Further, online users are more likely to engage in citizen participation activities and to participate more frequently. This fact is put down both to the type of people in the online user sample and to the channel itself--in the sample there is broad agreement that the internet has made citizen participation easier.
Also, those in the online user sample tended to be from higher socio-economic groups and have higher levels of qualifications, which match the profile of people who tend to participate more in citizen participation activities.
However, Internet access and confidence with its use are not the only variables. Middle-aged people, those from higher socio-economic groups and those with higher levels of qualifications are more likely to take part and participate more frequently than are the general population. Conversely, young people, those from lower socio-economic groups, and those with fewer qualifications are less likely to take part, and participate less frequently than the general population.
This report goes in to great detail (and I highly recommend that you give it a closer look) of Internet impact on citizen participation, and serves--in my view, anyway--as a great example of that kind of study that perhaps the FCC should carry out and publish.
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