The ongoing digital transformation of the economy and society holds significant potential to spur innovation, increase efficiency, improve services, and boost growth. Digital technologies empower people by increasing access to information and enabling new forms of social engagement. Yet such benefits come with other challenges as digital transformation changes the nature and structure of organisations, markets and communities, and raises concerns about equity and inclusion. Realising the opportunities and addressing the challenges is not automatic and may require policy action to make digital transformation boost growth and improve well-being.
The OECD-Korea Digital Society Initiative (DSI), under the auspices of the OECD Digital Policy Committee (DPC) and supported by Korea, aims to help advance the DPC’s work on the societal aspects of digital transformation, including its implications for human rights, by integrating relevant expertise from across the DPC and its data infrastructures. The DSI provides insights into the impacts of digital transformation and digital technology development on society, and a venue for countries to discuss, exchange and explore policy case studies on related issues. The DSI focuses on three priority areas: digital inclusion and divides; safety; and trust. These themes were chosen as key areas to advance individual and societal well-being in today’s highly digital societies.
This paper represents an output of the DSI. It contributes to a better understanding of key trends in the digital transformation of societies across OECD Member countries and partner economies and it identifies innovative policy practices to maximise the opportunities of digital technologies for people and society and to minimise the related risks.
This paper was written by Nicolas Benoit, under the guidance of Molly Lesher and Nils Adriansson, and the overall direction of Audrey Plonk and Jerry Sheehan. The author is grateful to Javier López González, Karin Gourdon, Peter Gal, Francesca Casalini and Maiko Merugo for their valuable comments and feedback, as well as to the Delegates of the Working Party on Digital Economics, Measurement and Analysis (WPDEMA) and the DPC for their comments and guidance. Editorial, communication and co-ordination support was provided by Mark Foss, Andreia Furtado, Elif Köksal-Oudot and Alice Weber.