Kamilia 🌱

My take on digitalisation and government mobile app. Government should not require anybody to download any apps to access any of the public services it offers. As the nation moves to digitalisation, the standard should be with web app. You should be able to do what you need to do via a web browser without the need to download any mobile app. A mobile app should be as an added convenience, not a requirement. Here is why a web-first standard approach is better: Web as a public utility: The web is universal, accessible across devices, and not subject to corporate gatekeeping. For government services, that neutrality is crucial. The web is interoperable, for as long as you have a web browser you can access it. Design web applications to be mobile-friendly and work seamlessly on mobile screens. Digital sovereignty: Depending on app stores introduces an external dependency that governments shouldn’t have. Citizens shouldn’t need an Apple ID or Google account to access public services they have a right to. Apple or Google could decide one day to kick your app out of their app store, and what then? Do you require your citizen to side-load your app? Accessibility & inclusion: A simple mobile-friendly web app can serve everyone, including those with older phones with limited storage. Sure, mobile apps can offer features such as better push notifications, better offline access, or better integration with device capabilities, but those should only enhance, not replace the web option. Besides, most of these are achievable with PWAs anyway. If you are someone close or in the position to influence policymakers, I hope you understand what I am getting at, the web-first digitalisation approach. A mobile app should be a convenience, never a requirement. Digital Government services must be accessible to all citizens on the open web.