Web 2.0 could drive evolution in government and citizen relations

Social networking tools key to the future of government, says KPMG report

Web 2.0 technologies are changing the way government operates and interacts with the public worldwide. They present an opportunity for government CIOs to slash IT costs and transform internal collaboration using social technologies, a new report has found.

However, moves to use Web 2.0 capabilities to radically overhaul the government’s relationship with the electorate will need to overcome resistance, as it will have to address concerns over security of information, current commercial arrangements and the breakdown of hierarchies, if they are to succeed.

Social, economic and policy changes are forcing governments across the world to take advantage of technologies such as wikis, social networking and blogs, according to KPMG's Government and IT Advisory.

It also says cloud computing offers the potential to dramatically reduce public sector IT costs.

The report, Dynamic Technologies for Smarter Government, says economic pressures on departments resulting from the financial crisis, combined with the increasing push for transparency from the public and media, are also driving calls for innovative uses of new technologies.

The success of citizen-led initiatives such as FixMyStreet.com and HealthMap.org has only served to put more pressure on government to consider social networking, and online interaction and collaboration as a platform for frontline service offerings.

"These increasingly dynamic technologies provide numerous opportunities for government to create efficiencies and better serve the public. With the public sector facing intense scrutiny of its budgets it should clearly be exploring where these tools can ease financial pressure and improve public service delivery," said Keith Bannister, UK Head of IT Advisory for Government, KPMG.

"The new UK government is committed to increasing transparency, having published numerous new datasets since coming to power. These technologies provide an ideal outlet for this kind of information while also enabling the government to better understand and make use of its existing data," said Bannister.