Digital exclusion: coming out from behind closed doors

Government visions of a digital future show little indication of how disabled people, reliant on access technology, will participate. Access technology has the potential to offer independent use of the Internet but many disabled people already face barriers that prevent them having equitable digital experiences. Multiple obstacles include high set-up costs, inadequate technical support and exclusive design practices. Due to the high levels of personalisation required, many disabled people are restricted to using computers at home. As a result their problems with access often remain unacknowledged and hidden behind closed doors. As online governance of welfare gathers pace, so greater awareness of the diversity of ways in which disabled people interact with digital environments is called for. Without this, government expansion into digital-only welfare risks isolating even further those who have the most to gain

Where to go in the near future: diverging perspectives on online public service delivery

Although the electronic government is under heavy development, a clear vision doesn’t seem to exist. In this study 20 interviews among leaders in the field of e-government in the Netherlands resulted in different perspectives on the future of electronic public service delivery. The interviews revealed different objectives and interpretations of the presuppositions regarding citizens’ desires. Opinions about channel approaches and ‘trigger services’ appeared to vary. Furthermore, the respondents didn’t agree on the number of contact moments between citizen and government, had different opinions about digital skills, pled for various designs of the electronic government and placed the responsibility for electronic service delivery in different hands. Conclusion is that there is a lack of concepts on how to do things. Everybody talks about eGovernment, but all have different interpretations. \u

Cross-disciplinary lessons for the future internet

There are many societal concerns that emerge as a consequence of Future Internet (FI) research and development. A survey identified six key social and economic issues deemed most relevant to European FI projects. During a SESERV-organized workshop, experts in Future Internet technology engaged with social scientists (including economists), policy experts and other stakeholders in analyzing the socio-economic barriers and challenges that affect the Future Internet, and conversely, how the Future Internet will affect society, government, and business. The workshop aimed to bridge the gap between those who study and those who build the Internet. This chapter describes the socio-economic barriers seen by the community itself related to the Future Internet and suggests their resolution, as well as investigating how relevant the EU Digital Agenda is to Future Internet technologists

The Whalesong

Agreement reached on gas line, oil tax -- Opinions on Planned Parenthood's arrival are varied -- An inspiring look out the window -- Campus calendar -- UAS rolls out new digital music service -- The realities of limited government -- Foreign oil dependency is an old story -- Bittersweet news for endangered species -- Spring break blues quiz -- "The High Cost of Low Price": A civil indictment against Wal-Mart -- HCS is in your hands as well as a fork so dig in -- What will overworking get you in the future? -- Through the looking glass: stupid stunts -- "Issue Film" contest challenges American

Young People and Digital Intimacies. What is the evidence and what does it mean? Where next?

The digital age makes new forms of connection possible, enabling ‘digital intimacies’ including the many practices of communicating, producing and sharing intimate content (‘sexting’; selfies; making, viewing and circulating sexual content; using hook-up apps; and searching online for advice about sex). Where young people engage in digital intimacies, policymakers have tended to respond with alarm and commissioned research premised on demonstrating negative outcomes. Young people’s take up of technologies is contrasted with previous generations and ideas of ‘healthy’, ‘natural’ and ‘normal’ sexual development which ignores and marginalises diversity of sexuality and sexual expression, and leads to campaigns that seek to supervise and regulate youth sexuality. This in turn results in legislation and censorship with consequences including blocking websites for sexual abuse support and sexual education. The government has suspended introduction of Age Verification for pornographic websites but is pressing ahead with its ‘Online Harms’ White Paper which plans for broader and more comprehensive regulatory frameworks in the interests of protecting children and young people in online spaces. The UK government has positioned itself as a world leader in developing new regulatory approaches to tackle online harms but the evidence base for those approaches is neither robust nor nuanced enough to respond to the increasing mediatisation of everyday life and sexual identity. This briefing advocates for a broader recognition of young people’s investments in digital intimacies, acknowledging what growing up and learning about sex in the digital age means for young people in order to inform future policy and practice. Policies that are informed by robust research and understandings that accommodate the nuanced practices of digital intimacy will provide the support that young people need and deserve as they navigate their media lives, develop awareness of ethical and unethical behaviour, and what is right for them

The Changing Landscape for the Public Sector: The challenges of building digital bridges

The University of Technology Sydney, Institute for Public Policy and Governance (UTS:IPPG) has undertaken research to investigate how public sector leaders are responding to digital transformation. This research has carried out on behalf of Civica, a leading provider of software and services to local government. The study builds on previous UTS:IPPG and Civica research, The Changing Landscape for Local Government: A vision for 2025 This report presents the headline findings from the latest research which seeks to understand: • Driving forces for new ways of working in a digital society • What (if anything) is holding back digital changes to public sector service delivery • Views on the opportunities and future for ‘digital first’ organisations • Leadership capacity and skills required to drive digital change • Ideas for building a digital first organisational culture and mindset Following initial desktop research, a survey of public sector professionals and 1:1 interviews with leaders from the local government sector, the research findings reveal a number of insights into the challenges, opportunities and changing landscape of digital cultures in the public sector. This report provides a scaffold to help public sector organisations better understand and prepare for a digital-first future

Inland Navigation Technology \u2709 - Digital Technology Impact on Safety and Efficiency

This workshop discussed the impact of digital technology on inland navigation safety and efficiency from the combined perspective government agencies and waterway operators. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) described inland navigation Research & Development (R&D), related demonstration efforts, and Headquarters initiatives for safer, more reliable waterways and infrastructure. The US Coast Guard (USCG) addressed the latest developments in e-Navigation (e.g., electronic charts, AIS, and aidsto-navigation), and how these developments might affect inland waterways operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discussed PORTS (Physical Oceanographic RealTime System) and other activities. Representatives from the Towing Industry, led by the American Waterways Operators Technology Steering Group, described current/future needs, as well as ongoing/planned initiatives to meet challenges associated with projected future increases in inland commerce

Adoption of wireless internet parks: An empirical study in Qatar

This paper examines the adoption of free wireless internet parks (iPark) by Qatari citizens as means of accessing electronic services from public parks. The Qatar government has launched the iPark concept with a view of providing free internet access for all citizens while enjoying the outdoors. By offering free wireless Internet access, the Qatari government encourages its citizen's to actively participate in the global information society with a view of bridging the digital divide. Using a survey based study this research set out to examine the Qatari citizens' perceptions of the iPark initiative. Results of the survey showed that there is a positive level of relation between the independent variables, usefulness, ease of use, Internet safety, and Internet speed/response time and one dependent variable, intention to use the iPark in Qatar. The paper provides a discussion on the key findings, research implications, limitations, and future directions for the iPark initiative in Qatar

Interview: Peter Parycek and Noella Edelmann on digital democracy best practice, localism, and e-government

Does democracy have a digital future? At a recent conference at Danube University in Krems, Austria, Sean Kippin asked the co-Chairs of the recent digital democracy and e-government conference (CEDEM) – Peter Parycek and Noella Edelmann – whether politicians were capable of making the necessary transition to digital, what the implications were localism, and which countries were managing the digital transition well

Leading schools in the digital age: A clash of cultures

A cultural gap is widening in English secondary schools: between a twentieth-century ethos of institutional provision and the twenty-first century expectations and digital lifestyles of school students. Perhaps disaffected by traditional teaching methods and the competitive target culture of schools, many students have turned to social networking through the cluster of computer-based applications known as Web 2.0. Here, they can communicate, share and learn informally using knowledge systems their elders can barely understand. Some of their contemporaries have turned away altogether, rejecting school and contributing to record levels of truancy and exclusion. This paper identifies a set of challenges for school leaders in relation to the growing digital/cultural gap. The government agenda for personalised learning is discussed, alongside strategies which schools might adopt to support this through the use of ICT, and both figure in scenario projections which envision how secondary education could change in the future. The paper concludes by recommending three priorities for school leaders