Dear @audreyt,
I am working for the municipality of Rotterdam, the Netherlands on digital strategy and policy (as a contractor). I am also starting as a columnist for one of our national newspapers in April, where I will write about the impact of digital technology on society.
I am currently doing some background research on the topic of setting up a ministry of digital affairs, one of the topics I will write a column about. I have a few questions that I was hoping you could answer. I have listed these questions below.
Many thanks in advance for your reply,
Ilyaz Nasrullah
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What motivated the Taiwanese government/cabinet to appoint a minister of digital affairs? Are there any specific global or national developments that made digital affairs a priority in Taiwan?
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Many countries do not have a digital affairs ministry yet. Digital related policy-making in those countries usually spread over multiple ministries. Do you think there are inherent disadvantages to this approach?
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Since digital technology affects many policy areas, can a minister and ministry of digital affairs function without interfering too much with the work of other ministries? How does Taiwan deal with this governance issue?
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Do you think it is necessary for a minister of digital affairs to have a deep personal understanding of computer science (for example by having studied computer science or related studies)? Has this technology developed to the point that people without this understanding cannot understand its implications?