Digital inclusion in disadvantaged suburbs: an issue of democracy. A research conducted in Sweden

A survey conducted in Skäggetorp, a suburb in Linköping municipality, shows that there is a correlation between feeling “included in the digital society” and trusting public authorities.

There is a need to elaborate more on how a digital society is governed in relation to trust and digital inclusion. This is particularly important in disadvantaged areas where Internet usage, e-ID use and inclusion in digital society is lower than in general. Digital exclusion adds another dimension to the discussion if and why residents in disadvantaged suburbs have a lower trust towards governmental institutions.

The article Digital inclusion in a disadvantaged Swedish suburb – Trust and participation to form Quality of Government by Linköping University’s scholars Wihlborg, Kaharevic, Kulanovic and Elg presents the preliminary data