DIGITALIZATION OF INTERACTION BETWEEN CITIZENS AND STATE: CITIZENS’ ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS, RISKS AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The implementation of Russia's national development objective "Digital Transformation" implies achieving "digital maturity," including in public administration. Following this decree, public administration is becoming one of the areas where the implementation of digital technologies is very active. The Russian government has approved and is applying methods for assessing digital maturity. However, while both assessing and taking measures to further digitalize public administration, the opinion of citizens as its beneficiaries is not sufficiently taken into account. To address this gap, RANEPA developed an original methodology for a nationwide representative survey of citizens aimed at identifying their assessment of the effects and risks of the public administration digitalization. The survey focuses on citizens' views not only on public services and facilities (as is most often the case), but also on all types of digital interaction between citizens and the state. The survey was conducted in 2022 and 2023, and the paper compares the results. For example, according to the 2023 survey, in the last year, 86.0% of respondents used digital technologies when interacting with the state (2022: 88.2%). Citizens are also prepared for the use of digital technologies: 83.9% believe they are ready for possible digital interactions with government (2022: 81.7%). The results of the survey can be used to assess the digital maturity of government and develop measures to improve it.