Southeast Asia’s rapid digital transformation continues to drive growth across the region. Governments recognise the potential of digitalisation to boost productivity, enhance efficiencies, and improve service delivery in both public and private sectors. However, a broader conversation is emerging: beyond economic growth, digitalisation can, and should, support national development goals.
The Tech for Good Institute’s latest working paper builds on insights from the 2023 study, From Tech for Growth to Tech for Good, which involved consultations with over 130 policymakers and stakeholders on the next phase of digital development in their countries. The 2023 study emphasised the need to expand digital transformation objectives beyond economic growth to include societal well-being. This working paper introduces a conceptual framework for a Confident Digital Society, balancing economic growth with sustainability, trust, and inclusivity—critical elements for a future-ready region.
Key Takeaways:
Sustainable digital development requires that everyone is empowered by, participates in and benefits from digital transformation in a sustainable way. A Confident Digital Society fosters an enabling environment for the adoption of digital goods and services. In essence, a Confident Digital Society also supports the growth and success of the digital economy.
The proposed framework identifies two important perspectives: Foundations and Future-readiness. The former refers to the current state of digital transformation, while the latter assesses a society’s ability to seize opportunities and respond to future challenges.
Sub-areas for each include:
- Foundations
- Quality Access: Affordable, reliable and high-quality digital connectivity.
- Meaningful Participation: Leveraging technology to improve daily lives, increase access to goods and public services, and strengthen e-citizenship for active civic participation.
- Future-readiness
- Productive Potential: Economic empowerment in the current and future digital economy through skills development, readiness for emerging technologies and a vibrant innovation ecosystem.
- Digital Resilience: Ability to respond to challenges posed by innovation and digital transformation through policy innovation, safety and sustainability.
These indicators reflect both longstanding and emerging issues, from digital platform penetration to attitudes towards AI and other emerging technologies, response to online scams and the integration of digital and sustainability roadmaps. Indicators not only enable measurement, but also to identify areas of strength, growth potential and investment to support sustainable digital development holistically.
This working paper represents just the first step, serving as a foundation for stakeholder consultations across the digital ecosystem. This proposed framework is an early iteration, as are the identified indicators. By sharing preliminary thoughts, we invite dialogue to refine and improve this concept, framework and indicator selection. We particularly welcome views from across the public, private and civil sectors; please send feedback to info@techforgoodinstitute.org.
