Digital governance encompasses many different facets of an organization’s online presence. This can include making sure accessibility and privacy requirements are being met as well as complying with relevant legislation (such as ADA/HIPAA in medical institutions).
Digital governance must be treated seriously within an organization’s culture, led by leaders who take it seriously and support policy enforcement with passion and focus.
Accessibility
Government agencies must design their digital services with accessibility in mind to ensure equal access for people living with disabilities. This is especially critical when providing online services such as voting registration, tax filings and applying for social service benefits.
Flynt notes it’s common for state and city governments to fall behind on digital accessibility due to people not thinking about accessibility until they themselves have disabilities or are working with someone who does.
Without an effective digital governance framework in place, issues tend to resurface often and result in technical debt that increases costs, extends project delivery timelines and dissatisfies users. By having an established digital governance policy in place, organizations can reduce compliance burden and ensure their digital products are accessible by all.
Security
With numerous digital platforms to track, staff changes to supervise, meetings to attend and emails to send, the day-to-day tasks can quickly become overwhelming. An effective digital governance framework empowers key personnel with making sound strategic decisions and allows clear pathways for ideas sharing and collaboration.
Automated solutions offer governance designers many benefits in terms of efficiency through repetitive rule-based transactions, increased inclusivity by lowering barriers to participation, and greater reliability through formalized controls (e.g. voting rights or approval systems) (Santana and Albareda 2022). Yet these same features may increase governance costs through surveillance or creating feelings of voicelessness among exchange participants faced with quasi-monopolistic digital incumbents with high switching costs (Santana and Albareda 2022).
As business landscapes continue to shift, organizations must ensure they have adaptable governance structures capable of meeting ever-evolving needs and opportunities. One key aspect here will be whether leadership champions the digital governance framework while taking compliance with policy seriously enough to foster an atmosphere of compliance that fosters strong cultures of behaviors within an organisation.
Privacy
Digital Governance and Data Privacy go hand-in-hand, providing organizations with an opportunity to make more informed decisions that protect individuals while meeting legal obligations and providing an avenue for transparency and accountability.
Global competition over digital governance standards is intensifying. While China and other authoritarian states seek to advance their vision for the internet, democratic powers like Brussels are making efforts towards providing an alternative that puts user privacy first through new GDPR regulations of their own.
The Biden administration should engage in diplomatic efforts that use domestic regulatory frameworks as leverage to build consensus among market democracies worldwide on global digital governance principles that can protect a free, open, and interoperable internet. This will require careful diplomatic coordination among bilateral channels and multilateral institutions.
Compliance
As organizations expand their digital footprints, digital governance becomes an essential asset. Navigating all of the various content types, platforms and applications that make up these digital presences is no simple task – but by using an effective digital governance framework to enforce consistency and compliance across these digital channels, organizations can ensure consistency and compliance across their various digital presences.
Digital technologies have revolutionized global connectivity and diversity. They have increased access to services and enhanced lives across sectors; while also opening up opportunities and helping governments better serve their constituents.
Complex digital governance regulation can be dauntingly complex for many organizations. Without clear structure and ownership of each piece of your digital ecosystem, teams may duplicate efforts or overlook essential pieces, leading to inefficiency and unnecessary risks. That is why assigning clear ownership and accountability for each element within it is so essential for effective team collaboration and safe operations.