Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
Year: 2024
DOI:
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E-Government Services and Digital Equity in the COVID-19 Era
WookJoon Sung
ABSTRACT:
Recently, the focus of digital literacy research has shifted from an interest in individual-level digital competencies to an emphasis on digital inclusion and digital equity, highlighting social support and environmental creation for the digitally disadvantaged. This study aims to analyze the impact of citizens’ digital literacy on the use of e-government services during the COVID-19 period. Also, this study examines the influence of digital assistants and social capital, as well as individual-level digital competencies, on the use of e-government services during the COVID-19 period. The dependent variable of this study is the use of COVID-19-related e-government services by citizens, such as economic support application services and COVID-19 information provision services. The main independent variables are motivational factors for digital access, technical skill factors, digital assistance, and social capital. This study utilizes the 2020 Digital Divide Survey conducted by the National Information Society Agency of South Korea. The method of analysis used is multinomial logistic regression analysis. The analysis results indicate that, first, digital competency is a major influencing factor in citizens’ online use of government economic support services during the COVID-19 period. Second, for the use of government information provision services by citizens during the COVID-19 period, individual motivational factors along with digital competency have a positive effect. Third, in the case of citizens who use both government economic support and information services during the COVID-19 period, social support such as digital assistance and social capital, in addition to digital competency, is influential. Based on the results of this study, to enhance the utilization of government contactless e-government services during crisis situations such as a pandemic, it is necessary to strengthen education to improve digital competency and enhance continuous social support programs and infrastructure for the digitally disadvantaged.
keywords: e-government service, digital government, digital literacy, digital divide, digital equity