More than one in two people find their city “not digital”
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:58 am
Six out of ten citizens (63 percent) can imagine living in a city or municipality with many digital offerings. Although more and more smart city initiatives have been launched across Germany in recent years, every second German citizen (56 percent) says: "My city is not digital."
After all, more than a third (37 percent) rate the level of digitalization in their community as advanced. Germans see the greatest need for improvement in their place of residence in the areas of housing (86 percent), lebanon gambling data administration (79 percent), transport (78 percent), security (77 percent) and the environment (76 percent).
Citizens convinced: Digitalization is an opportunity for municipalities
Cities and rural areas are facing major challenges, and digitalization can help many of them - that is the opinion of the vast majority of the population. Eight out of ten German citizens (81 percent) agree with the statement that disadvantaged cities and communities can particularly benefit from digitalization.
Two thirds (64 percent) believe that the use of digital technologies such as surveillance cameras can increase security in public spaces. And for six out of ten citizens (61 percent) it is clear: digitalization offers a great opportunity to make life in the city and in the countryside more livable.
Nevertheless, there are also critical voices and concerns. Seven out of ten citizens (71 percent) are worried that their personal data is less secure due to digitization in cities and municipalities. Six out of ten agree with the statement that digitization reduces interpersonal contact (62 percent) and that digitization projects run the risk of failing like other major projects (61 percent).
"Citizens have a differentiated view of digitalization: on the one hand, they are convinced of the opportunities, but on the other hand, they also see potential dangers," says Berg. "When developing smart cities and regions, we must above all consider the issue of data security - here, too, we can learn from Lithuania. At the same time, we must bring pioneering cities and smart city initiatives from Germany even more into the public eye and show how things can already be done easily and digitally in many places."
After all, more than a third (37 percent) rate the level of digitalization in their community as advanced. Germans see the greatest need for improvement in their place of residence in the areas of housing (86 percent), lebanon gambling data administration (79 percent), transport (78 percent), security (77 percent) and the environment (76 percent).
Citizens convinced: Digitalization is an opportunity for municipalities
Cities and rural areas are facing major challenges, and digitalization can help many of them - that is the opinion of the vast majority of the population. Eight out of ten German citizens (81 percent) agree with the statement that disadvantaged cities and communities can particularly benefit from digitalization.
Two thirds (64 percent) believe that the use of digital technologies such as surveillance cameras can increase security in public spaces. And for six out of ten citizens (61 percent) it is clear: digitalization offers a great opportunity to make life in the city and in the countryside more livable.
Nevertheless, there are also critical voices and concerns. Seven out of ten citizens (71 percent) are worried that their personal data is less secure due to digitization in cities and municipalities. Six out of ten agree with the statement that digitization reduces interpersonal contact (62 percent) and that digitization projects run the risk of failing like other major projects (61 percent).
"Citizens have a differentiated view of digitalization: on the one hand, they are convinced of the opportunities, but on the other hand, they also see potential dangers," says Berg. "When developing smart cities and regions, we must above all consider the issue of data security - here, too, we can learn from Lithuania. At the same time, we must bring pioneering cities and smart city initiatives from Germany even more into the public eye and show how things can already be done easily and digitally in many places."