A legal framework for e-government

The transformation of our society into a network society is proceeding at a startling pace. One often hears the term legal framework in this context, but few details of that framework are forthcoming. What this framework is or should be like has generally not been adequately discussed. If we are content to watch it take shape guided by directives formulated on varying bases and their equally varied implementations, there is serious risk that the legal order will become fragmented. A clear frame of reference can easily became chaos, which, will pose a threat to our basic rights. The point of departure in this article is the assessment of e-government as a complex of information processes. These are evaluated in the light of the requirements of the modem constitutional state. The aim is to determine the relationship between the requirements for good government and the new digital operating environment. Such an analysis is a rarity, although different countries have set out to develop electronic services in government on the strength of advances in information technology.