Public key certification providers and e-government assurance agencies. An appraisal of trust on the Internet

Because both e-government and e-commerce operate via the internet, they appear at first sight to bear a considerable resemblance to each other. On closer inspection of the differences in the functions required of applications developed for use in one or other area, however, the superficial similarities quickly fade. This paper will show that these differences are fundamental and may even require the use of specific technical solutions, even where the common aim in both e-government and e-commerce is to engender trust in electronic communications.