Initiative D21 wants "Digital Only" with help for offline users
The D21 initiative is calling on the next government to abolish analog processes in the administration – This is also a key to greater user-friendliness.
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The D21 initiative wants the state and administration to only offer their services to citizens and companies via digital channels in the future. It is calling on the next German government to create a "legally binding 'digital-only' model" that makes digital processes the standard. Instead of upholding a "right to analog", the state should support offline users in accessing digital services.
The non-profit initiative is thus fueling the debate about so-called digital coercion. The FPD is already calling for analog processes to be abolished in the German parliamentary election campaign. The Left Party, BSW and AfD are demanding a right to analog alternatives.
The D21 initiative argues that a "right to analog" cements inefficient duplicate structures and misallocates valuable resources. An "inclusive" digital-only model increases the pressure to develop intuitive digital administrative services that are accessible to all. To counteract a division in society, support measures should be part of this approach. According to a study by D21, 15 percent of the population are "digital avoiders".
In a guest article for the c't newsletter D.digital, D21 President Marc Reinhardt explained the demand in detail: Digital Only is "not a technocratic dogma, but the key to an efficient administration that serves everyone". A right to analog may seem convenient in the short term, but is ultimately an "invitation to stagnation". You can read the guest article in full in the free newsletter D.digital.
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Campaign for digital skills among the population
Initiative D21 is also calling on the next German government to launch an offensive for digital skills among the population. By 2030, at least 80 percent of the population should have basic digital skills and the proportion of ICT specialists should increase significantly.
Thirdly, D21 would like to see a central coordination office for cybersecurity skills to complement the BSI. This should, for example, "implement targeted educational programs for all age groups", as cybersecurity does not only concern authorities and companies. Initiative D21 is a non-profit network of around 140 member companies and organizations.
(cwo)
