CEE e|Dem and e|Gov Days 2017

The times are gone, when the digital divide used to be
an economic matter between "haves" and "have nots"
or a divide in technological skill. Internet penetration
rates in the Danube Region are converging and moving
towards 80-90%. However, internet access, for instance
on the mobile phone, does not mean that the internet
is used for much more than reading the news. The true
potential of the internet can only be harnessed by
interactive and transactional services, whether in
eGovernment or eParticipation: Transactional eGovernment
services are a main driver of administrative reform
and cost efficiency; the usage of social media and
eDemocracy platforms promotes social cohesion and
civic engagement. Via the digital media, everybody can
talk to the world - at least in theory. Having access to
the editor function of a social media or participation
platform in a web browser via an internet connection at
an affordable monthly flat rate, however, does not by a
long shot mean that one can also express one's opinion
in a convincing way. Hence, there may be a new digital
divide about being able or not being able to express
oneself in the internet media.
This year's "Central and Eastern European eGovernment
& eDemocracy Days" aim to explore to what extent and
in what regard the Danube Region is digitally divided,
what the driving forces of these divisions are and what
factors determine them. Understanding the digital divide
is pivotal to promote cohesion in the Danube Region
and to design effective policies to enhance regional
integration.