Polish Digitalism Strategy. Citizens in the drum of the draw machine

"As promised, the Ministry of Digitalism is and will be open to the public. Social dialog is the basis of democracy, and the government being prepared must be close to people. Polish digital improvement depends on each of us. I invitation you to discuss" – so the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Digitalism Krzysztof Gawkowski spoke on 11 December 2024 at a gathering devoted to public consultation of the State Digital Strategy. I have learned that the strategy's overarching nonsubjective is to improve the quality of life of citizens. And I want a man in first place.

“There is the fact of the times we talk about, and the fact of the screen”, it's a quote from the iconic movie "The Bear". The civilian Affairs Institute has been checking for a year how the Deputy Prime Minister's words to reality are. In consultations organised by the Ministry of Digital Affairs we present our ideas, recommendations, demands. I appreciate Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski and his squad for organising consultations that are deeper and multidimensional. Any citizen, organisation or institution may speak. What does that mean?

Citizens without digital signature

"The Ombudsman advocates the anticipation of collecting signatures under civilian laws by electronic means. The RPO addressed the Ministry of Digital Affairs on this matter’, to fragment of the communication in the context of the speech of RPO Adam Bodnar to the Minister of Digitalisation Marek Zagórski on electronic signature of March 6, 2018.

It's been six years and the case is inactive on. Today, Poles and Poles can collect 100,000 signatures under civilian designs only by paper. The civilian Affairs Institute has been campaigning since 2012 "Citizens decide" in which more than 223 1000 citizens request facilitation in collecting signatures. For a year now we have been calling on the Minister of Digitization Krzysztof Gawkowski to add to the Polish Digital strategy the provisions concerning the digitisation of the Civic Legislative Initiative.

According to our public opinion polls, over 70% of surveyed Poles and Poles support a change of law introducing signing of civilian laws over the Internet.

In November 2023, the Institute for marketplace and Social Research, IBRiS, carried out a nationwide survey, which shows that 30% of citizens responded “yes” and 34% “yes”, to the question: Do you think that it should be possible to sign civilian laws over the Internet, e.g. through a trusted profile or electronic signature? In the 21st century, citizens want to have a choice whether to sign the task traditionally with a pen on a part of paper or sign on the Internet.

It is worth noting that the call for the digitisation of the Citizen's Legislative Initiative was supported, among others, by: Ombudsman Marcin Wiązek, Ombudsman Irena Lipowicz, Minister of Digitization Anna Streżyńska, Minister of Digitization Marek Zagórski.

"In the age of digitization of virtually most public services, leaving only paper-based collection of signatures of support under candidates' lists is an anachronistic solution" – this argument is set out in the explanatory memorandum to the bill: amending the Act – Electoral Code (print No 556). The task concerns facilitations for political parties in the collection of signatures, and its initiator is Michał Grammar, Deputy Minister of Digitalism. How are citizens/electors expected to read a situation where parties make it easier for themselves to collect signatures and citizens have been incapable to invitation themselves for 12 years?

It's actual times. What's the fact of the screen?

On 22 December 2023 I went to Warsaw for First public consultation advertised in this way: "At the Ministry of Digital Affairs we open up a dialog with social and industrial organisations. We want to perceive to your opinion on the priorities in the field of digitalisation and work together on the strategy of digital improvement of Poland". Unfortunately, due to the large number of calls from curious people, I was not allowed to talk at the meeting.

Since the minister asked for additional materials to be sent and assured that “the materials sent will be further analysed,” we decided to take this opportunity. December 21, 2023 we sent letter to the Minister of Digitalism requesting a meeting to discuss the bill we have prepared. Act to introduce online signatures for civilian bill projects. To this day, we have not received an answer.

Another effort to interest Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski in the digitisation of the civic legislative initiative was made on 20 June, participating in a public consultation on digitalisationwhich took place at the National Stadium. It is worth appreciating the organisation of this meeting, which was of a deeper and more dimensional nature. Anyone who volunteered could get a microphone and talk in public. The votes were well written by the officials of the Ministry of Digital Affairs. A evidence of our ideas, recommendations and innovations that we tabled during this event can be found in the summary of the consultation on government website gov.pl.

On 28 October this year, the Minister of Digitalization presented a paper "Polish Digitalism Strategy. Draft for public consultation". Poles and Poles could hear that “this is the first specified comprehensive paper in the past of our country to be a plan for digital transformation for the next 10 years. Main objective: improving the quality of life of citizens through digitalisation". Unfortunately, our request to digitise signatures under civilian draft laws was not noted in the document...

Insecure situation, as I have seen many on the frontlines of civilian campaigns for the last 30 years, I went to Warsaw on 11 December for the final gathering of the Polish Digital Strategy. I have reported the request to talk in the discussion within each of the 5 panels: Digital state and open data; Future competences; groundbreaking technologies; Cybersecurity; Electronic communication.

On the spot, it turned out that the number of people curious in voting was large and had to be drawn. Unfortunately, the draw device did not point to me in any of the 5 draws. That's bad luck. More fortunate were the representatives of corporations, e.g. those associated with Polish Chamber of Information and Telecommunications. Representatives of a large business that cares about digitizing everything, regardless of the consequences for average people. For example, the device allowed a Google typical to speak. I'll remind you, this corp He's been at war with citizens for years., which prof. Shoshan Zuboff described on 8 100 pages in the loud book “The Age of Capitalism of Surveillance. Fighting for the future of humanity on a fresh border of power". Interestingly, respective people were fortunate to be drawn more than erstwhile (sic!). Where is social justice and openness to different voices? This is simply a good example of the future results of the fact that present we let machines to make independent decisions without human supervision.

What's next?

"Digitalization is the future, but we make it present – together with you. Through cooperation we are building a digital state that works for citizens, business and science. The consultation showed that it is worth listening to, collecting ideas and implementing innovations that change reality for the better”, said Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski summarizing the final of the consultation of the Polish Digital strategy by 2035. "In the coming weeks and months, we will be making changes and talking to another ministries, public institutions, the market, social partners and simply with citizens about how our plan for the next 10 years will improve. And after we improve it, we will present it for consultation again – already on the authoritative legislative path", he added.

Will the vote of citizens be drawn in the drum of the draw machine? Is the government open to the public? Will our comments be introduced into the Polish Digital Strategy?

We look at the power on our hands and we'll let you know.