Taiwan's digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for e-public services

Abstract

With the outbreak of COVID-19, many elderly people have experienced unfavorable difficulties accompanying e-public services during the epidemic. This study takes Village (Li) A in Xinyi District, Taipei City, as a case study, using in-depth interviews to understand the experiences of e-public services usage among residents aged 60 years and above, as well as local chief of village (Li Chang) and council members. In conclusion, street-level bureaucrats proactively take on the role of “information agents” for elderly adults, assisting in listening to their real needs and facilitating the matching of them with the services they need. It points out that even though Taiwanese society is moving toward an aging and digital future, with many public services transitioning to digital forms, the abilities of street-level bureaucrats in terms of “responsive listening” and “situational adaptation,” especially for elderly people, remain crucial and cannot be replaced by AI and information systems.