The Humanist Union (HU) is calling for a pause “to halt the progressive digitalisation of essential services at European level”. The e-government pause should apply if corresponding analogue offers are put on hold at the same time. The break is necessary “to ensure the maintenance of non-digital communication channels with basic service providers”, the civil rights organisation writes in an open letter to the EU Commission, Council of Ministers and Parliament. For example, a good availability of “official and bank branches with sufficiently long opening hours and well-trained counter staff” is needed. Analogue services should not entail any additional costs for users.
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HU complains that the use of digital media has become essential for interacting with authorities, banks, energy suppliers – but also when looking for a job or an apartment or buying a ticket. in the letter The growing digital imperative. However, 40 percent of the European population did not have the necessary basic digital knowledge. These mainly included older people or people with a low level of education, the unemployed, women, people with disabilities and migrants with “precarious residence status”. Digital difficulties often come on top of existing social disadvantages, becoming a “double burden” for vulnerable people. Consequences can include not being able to access social rights, exclusion from banking or loss of energy supply.
The EU’s different strategies contradict each other
At the same time, civil rights activists remind that the Commission has been bound by this since 2011 Performance or provision of basic services Ensuring compliance with general principles such as universal access and equal treatment. This task is “sacrificed today at the altar of digitalization” in order to rapidly automate services. However, this carries the risk of algorithmic discrimination. In the Netherlands and France, thousands of families have been accused of welfare fraud. The administration has deprived some families of vital income.
In 2023, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will also give member states a Digital Divide Policy A change from a “logic of fully digital public services” to one of “full access” to these services is recommended. This includes maintaining analog access. HU also calls for a fundamental societal debate about what role digitalization should play.
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