The “one-touch” digital policy that Israel’s government committed to in 2016 has a long way to go before it is fully implemented, according to the State Comptroller’s Report released on Wednesday.
The goal of the policy is that citizens would only be required to input personal information once into a government database for it to be shared by all government offices. This would mean citizens wouldn’t have to submit their information multiple times when filling out forms online; it would improve government service and reduce the bureaucratic burden.
The 2016 government decision stated that by 2021, a government ministry would not ask the public for a document that has been issued by another government ministry. However, an audit conducted at the Government ICT Authority, the Israel Digital Headquarters, the National Cyber System and the National Insurance Institute found that, currently, this is far from the case.
Citizens were found to be required to upload a scan of their identity card as part of 261 different government forms. An image of a graduation certificate was required in order to receive 188 different services, and a photocopy of a business license is required in order to receive 68 services, the audit found.
Only 26% of 3,545 services offered by 40 different ministries were using this system, the report said. Just 19 out of 34 ministries had submitted reports on their progress transitioning to the system, and only eight of them listed which services had been made accessible.
In addition, only nine (30%) of the 30 firms that have set policy implementation goals in their 2019 work plan reported planned implementation in five or more new digital services, as required by ICT guidelines.
It also emerged that in mid-February 2021, the installation of a secure technological infrastructure for information sharing in four (15%) of the 26 bodies in which its installation was planned for 2020 had not yet been completed, due in part to technological difficulties. This, despite the fact that the information system is defined as essential infrastructure, both in terms of information security and cyber protection and in terms of providing services to citizens.
The state comptroller noted that the success of implementing this policy is based on cooperation between the ministries and service providers, adding that the digital authorities involved must prioritize the issue and implement it throughout all service channels.