Introduction

Digitalisation of public services is an ongoing project in many developed countries around the globe. The rise of new and emergent technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, promises to further accelerate the transformation of public services. The integration of these complex data-driven technologies in public services is seen as an attractive proposition as they could potentially render services more efficient, tailored to the needs of specific communities and responsive to a range of significant societal issues. Yet, the use of computing, data science and machine learning to guide decisions in the design and delivery of public services has also raised significant concerns. These are associated with the embedding of potential social and technical biases, and thus their potential to further exacerbate existing socio-economic inequalities and social division (Eubanks, 2018). These concerns have raised broader questions globally as to the role of digital systems in social justice and in the safeguarding or formulation of new human rights (Abebe et al, 2020).

In the UK, the fast pace of public service digital transformation has been documented as having detrimental effects on the most vulnerable communities (Cheetham et al, 2019). Despite this, the implementation and use of new and emerging technologies to support public service delivery is still positioned as a necessary step in austerity Britain. In times of crisis, such as COVID-19, as new technologies facilitate everyday activities when physical distancing is in order, the importance of face-to-face community relations and existing digital inequalities comes more prominently to the fore. This chapter describes the initial stages of a collaboration with a charity based in Sunderland, the Parker Trust, which set out to explore what may constitute fairness and justice in the design and implementation of the welfare system and digital services. The chapter examines the impact of the digitalisation of services and considers the way collaborations between academia and third sector organisations can lead to the development of practical responses to the neoliberal crisis and in support of democracy.

Digital inclusion, equity and social justice

Government discourse focuses on a positive story about digital innovation and the digitalisation of services. The ‘digital by default’ strategy (Cabinet Office, 2012), which created a single online portal for government digital services delivery, was seen as a way of promoting customer choice, convenience, efficiency and speed of response.