During this period, the e-government portal was accessed some 3.8m (versus 2.5m in the previous period) times, reports ICTU, an agency founded by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Affairs to oversee information and communication technology in the public sector. Overheid.nl, an initiative of this ministry, is a simple gateway to government information.
It currently has links to more than 1,300 websites and databanks associated with central, provincial and local government organisations such as ministries, agencies and authorities.
Official publications, the state directory and details on legislation and procedures score high marks for popularity.
In addition, information over subsidies, taxes, social benefits and licences are also accessed frequently.
Figures released, however, do not contain an accurate number of first-time users.
Determining and tracking first-time visitors is a problem for two reasons, according to programme manager Erik Hup.
Firstly, some of the visitors are civil servants accessing the internet through so-called proxy servers (local computers that regulate and secure access to the internet) that do not ‘disclose’ such user information.
And secondly, ‘cookies’ (bits of intrusive software placed on the user’s hard disk by the website accessed) that could provide such information are considered too sensitive to use because of privacy considerations.
Encouraged by its success, overheid.nl has future plans to publish local, provincial and water-board procedures, and other information, including lists of licences issued to businesses.
Quelle: DMeurope, 24.03.2004
