Reconsidering government digital strategies within the context of digital inequalities: the case of the UK Digital Strategy

Abstract In this paper, we critically examine the 2022 UK Digital Strategy and argue that the UK government adopts with this policy document a customer-centric vision of governance, which undermines the traditional role of the government as a provider of public services with principles of justice and impartiality. This shift, exacerbated by digital poverty, appears incongruent with the social contract between citizens and the state. We employ a critical discourse analysis to identify contradictory outcomes resulting from these neoliberal policies and showcase that the UK Digital Strategy, while seemingly committed to aspects of equality and inclusivity, appear to prioritise almost entirely market rather than citizens’ interests.