The Missing Link: Identifying Digital Intermediaries in E‐Government
基于智利全国调查，识别并分类了帮助公民使用电子政务的两类数字中介（亲近型与层级型），挑战了数字化必然带来直接访问的假设，对理解数字治理中的人力支持系统有参考价值。
ABSTRACT Digital platforms are transforming how governments deliver public services; however, many citizens still depend on third parties to access them. This article identifies and classifies these “digital intermediaries” drawing from a national survey in Chile—a country with high digitalization but deep digital inequality. We find two major types of intermediaries: “close” actors (family and peers) and “hierarchical” actors (politicians, bureaucrats, and community leaders). These intermediaries support citizens who lack digital skills or access, playing an essential role in facilitating e‐government. The findings challenge the notion that digitalization guarantees direct, unmediated access to public services and underscore the importance of considering human support systems in digital governance.