Technological potential of online government - Internet - Brief Article

Governments worldwide are not using the full technological potential of the Internet, a survey conducted by the London-based World Markets Research Center found. Out of 196 nations audited, the U.S. was one of only three that scored more than 50 points on a 100-point scale used in the survey, which was done for WMRC by Darrell M. West, professor of political science and director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy, Brown University, Providence, R.I. Researchers at the university graded each country's online presence against 28 criteria, including the availability of contact information, publications, databases, portals, and the number of online services.

Widely regarded as the global leader in technology and the Internet, the U.S. scored 57.2 points, the highest-ranking nation. Taiwan and Australia ranked second and third, with 52.5 and 50.7, respectively, with Canada and the United Kingdom in fourth and fifth positions. Researchers analyzed 2,288 national government websites from the 196 nations. Among the sites analyzed were executive, legislative, judicial, cabinet, and ministerial offices, and major agencies serving such crucial government functions as health, taxation, education, economic development, foreign affairs, foreign investment, tourism, and business regulation.

The Internet is viewed as an opportunity for governments to provide services and information more efficiently and cost-effectively to their citizens. However, the survey found that worldwide "e-government" is falling short of its potential. According to WMRC, security is the main issue stifling its growth. A considerable boost in encryption and security technology is required before governments will be able to make full use of the technological power of the Internet to improve the lives of citizens and enhance the performance of governmental units. Once this level of security has been achieved, e-government could revolutionize the relationship between government and citizens, from simply offering live broadcasts of important speeches or events to more complex issues such as online tax payment and voting.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Gino Ussi, chief executive officer of WMRC, says: "We must remember that e-government is still very much in its infancy. The survey highlights areas that need attention, like privacy and security, disability access, and technology questions such as the utilization of search engines and portals to simplify navigation. E-government offers vast potential to improve interactivity between governments and their citizens, but it is clear from this survey that governments are still some way off maximizing the full potential of the Internet."

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