Trust/security : if m-government is to
verify their voting information, such as
encompass m-payment systems or
the parliamentary and state constitu-
other transactional public services,
encies where they are to vote, using
then it must have good security and
SMS (short message service).
must be trusted. As yet, there is still a
Alternatively, citizens can request that
credibility gap to be crossed for many
real-time information is sent to their
mobile device users.
mobile phone, PDA, or pager as an e-
Data overload : mobile devices
mail or text message. As another
increase the pressures of a world in
example, the California state govern-
which users are permanently
ment has established a Web page
connected: "always on". These
where citizens can register to receive
permanent connections increase the
the wireless PDA and cell phone notifi-
number of messages circulating and
cation services for energy alerts,
can create a blizzard of communica-
lottery results, traffic updates and arti-
tions - some valuable, some not - in
cles from the Governor's press room.
which public service communications
M-Government and Developing
can come to be devalued or lost.
Countries.
Models/Examples
M-Government is particularly
The M - Government should not be
suited for the developing world
seen as something brand-new: for
where Internet access rates are
example, wireless technology has
low but mobile phone penetration is
always been an important part of law
growing rapidly, particularly in urban
enforcement. Only today, police offi-
areas. Globally, the number of mobile
cers are as likely to use a laptop
phones has surpassed the number of
wirelessly connected to the Internet as
fixed/wired phones. This is also the
the good old two-way radio.
case in many individual nations,
When officers spot a suspicious vehi-
including 49 middle-income and 36
cle they can directly search databases
low-income countries. Among these
that provide information on who owns
countries are Burkina Faso, Chad,
the vehicle, if it has been reported
Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico,
stolen or has been reported at a crime
Mongolia, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi
scene, and if the owner is wanted by
Arabia, and South Africa. According to
police or has jumped bail. Health and
a recent study, the population of global
safety inspectors can now file their
SMS users will grow to 3.5 billion.
reports from the field in real time using
a Pocket PC or handheld terminals,
eliminating paper forms and the need
to re-enter the data collected when
they get back to the office.
On the other hand, citizens are able to
save time and energy further by
accessing the Internet and govern-
ment networks through mobile phones
and other wireless devices. In
Malaysia, for example, citizens can
19
Issue 71 December 2013
2013 71

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