Digital Government

The concept of Digital Government refers to the use of digital technologies to transform public administration and governance. Often, this involves leveraging data, connectivity, and computational tools to deliver public services, engage with citizens, and improve decision-making processes. Digital government reflects a broader shift toward technology-driven governance, where innovation is seen as a means to increase efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Recent developments driving changes in Digital Government include:

The rise of smart cities, where governments leverage IoT, AI, and big data to optimize urban management, but face criticism over privacy and governance risks.
Increasing digitization of government services (e.g., e-government platforms, digital IDs) and the legal challenges of ensuring equitable access and preventing exclusion.
Use of AI in decision-making for public policies, law enforcement, and social services, raising ethical and legal concerns about bias, accountability, and due process.
The global adoption of cybersecurity frameworks to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, as governments become primary targets for digital threats.

Studying digital government is crucial because it highlights how technology reshapes the relationship between citizens themselves and between citizens and the state. This is particularly crucial for Singapore, which is committed to a fundamental and extensive “smart nation” vision. As governments adopt tools like AI, IoT, and digital platforms, however, they must navigate complex challenges, including ensuring inclusivity, protecting privacy, and maintaining public trust. By exploring these dynamics, research can provide valuable insights into how digital tools impact governance in practice. The Digital Government cluster examines how legal frameworks can enable public sector innovation while safeguarding democratic values, human-centricity, community cohesion, and public trust.