Q&A
Addressing public trust issues in digital government services
1:19:03
·
129 sec
Council Member Gutiérrez expresses concerns about public trust in digital government services, particularly for vulnerable populations. Commissioner Fraser acknowledges these concerns and discusses the challenges of building trust in new digital systems.
- Gutiérrez highlights the difference between using a private sector app and relying on government digital services for essential benefits
- She mentions recent incidents of fraud with EBT benefits as a reason for public skepticism
- Fraser acknowledges that government's ability to deliver digital services has been questioned in the past
- He asks for an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of MyCity and emphasizes the gradual process of building trust
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:19:03
Yeah.
1:19:03
Okay.
1:19:04
I mean, I think the service I mean, it's very different.
1:19:06
I think for someone who uses Starbucks and is using that their app
Matthew Fraser
1:19:11
Yeah.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:19:11
Than someone who's depending on cash assistance or whatever it is, whatever the vision is for the the cyber wallet.
1:19:22
Yep.
1:19:22
I mean, just just all of last year, the number of constituents that came into my offices for fraud because their EBT income was stolen and continues to be.
1:19:34
So, I mean, you have to understand that I think the the public's trust in a single city agency to roll this out in a safe and secure way has really certainly been eroded in the last couple weeks or so, but I think it's a really tough sell despite how much faster it could be.
1:19:53
And we're also talking about people who are looking for a service, who are in some kind of way, potentially in a vulnerable position.
1:20:00
So I personally have a ton of concerns about supporting and moving forward with the digital wallet for for the purpose of New Yorkers being able to to spend.
1:20:10
I also think the feature about potentially being able to monitor, like like spending habits and and where they're shopping and the things that they're getting.
1:20:17
I don't know if that's being communicated to New Yorkers that, like, how that is beneficial
Matthew Fraser
1:20:24
Yep.
1:20:25
To
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:20:25
them.
1:20:25
So I I personally have concerns about that.
Matthew Fraser
1:20:27
Yeah.
1:20:27
I I agree.
1:20:28
I think when we deployed my city around child care, we saw initial concerns around submitting digital applications And as of this morning, we've from the last quarter to this quarter, we've upgraded from 75% to over 90% of the applications that are coming in.
1:20:47
I think it's a process much like human development for all walk, run, jump, And I think a lot of skepticism around the the government's ability to deliver has been earned over time, and it's gonna take us a lot of time to unwork that.
1:20:59
So I I hear the concern.
1:21:02
All I'm asking for councils to give us an opportunity, and let's let's see.
1:21:06
And we'll continue to deliver in the ways that we have since we've assumed the positions.
