The extent of the digital divide in Denmark is defined on the basis of the statistical data and therefore the numbers' correctness is of most importance. The data has political implication. If the extent of the divide is defined as sizeable it will require political action. This paragraph contains the ongoing political debate about how to define and measure the digital divide.
Statistics Denmark and ITST in cooperation select the measure - variables to make the statistical data about the digital divide. Thus, the opposition's critique, here represented by Akdogan is pointed at the Ministry of Science.
5.3.1 Repeal of the IT-barometer
The IT-barometer was used to measure the Danish digital divide in 2008 and 2009 (ITST 2008). It divided the population in four groups where the two first levels indicated that a person had no or very limited IT- skills and the third and fourth level included the citizens with average or strong IT-skills. The measurement was made on basis of results from questionnaires where the interviewees should estimate their own IT- skills. In 2007 40 percent of the population was on one of the two lowest levels and it 2008 the equivalent number has increased to 41 (Idem).
The IT-barometer-measurement was not continued in 2010 due to a political decision made by Sahl-Madsen. The primary argument for the repeal was that it was not valid because the measuring to a large extent emphasised personal assessment (Sahl-Madsen 2011: 3-4). The barometer has not been replaced. Thus, the official way to refer to the IT-ready percentage is by referring to the use of Internet and text messaging (Ibid: 3).
Akdogan's (2010: 2) opinion is that the Minister of Science tries to embellish the numbers. She believes that the IT-barometer was abolished because the extent of the digital divide was substantial and the result would require political action. Furthermore the IT-barometer illustrated that the number of people with lower IT-skills was growing (Ibid: 1). Akdogan (Idem) emphasises that it is criticisable when the Minister of Science indicates that the Danes are IT-ready because the majority use the Internet. For example it demands more IT-skills to use SKAT's web-page than to surf the Internet. According to Akdogan this way of measuring is not sufficient.
As representative of the opposition, Akdogan, has three times called an open consultation with the Minister of Science in the Committee for Science and Technology to stress the need for more political focus on the digital divide and related issues in 2010 (Udvalget for Videnskab og Teknologi 2010a, 2010b, 2010c). In this committee she has for example asked the Minister why she did not measure the extent of digital divide for disabled people (Udvalget for Videnskab og Teknologi 2010a). The answer from Sahl-
Madsen was that the organisations for disabled people are included in the ITST's work by being part of the network and being included in the development of NemID (Sahl-Madsen 2011: 4). However, Sahl-Madsen does not find it necessary to statistically measure the divide for disabled people.
The discussion of how to measure the digital divide has also been debated several times in the Danish parliament in 2010 (Sahl-Madsen 2011: 3). The Minister of Science argues that the statistical data is better when it reflects the Danes consumption of Its, but the Danish Social Democratic Party wants to change this way of measuring.
In addition there is a schism between which variables the Statistics Denmark used and which results there can be found for free on the public web-page. For example the variable origin, income, household structure and disability are not published (ITST 2011a: 27ff), but the information can be obtained by an acquisition.
Even if the political polemic is disregarded it is problematic for the public to monitor the development of the digital divide when the variables are changed and numbers are not published. When questions and variables are changed longitude investigation and comparison is made impossible. Another dilemma is that the politicians understand the existing results about the digital divide in various ways. When the Ministry of Science refers to the number of citizens using online banking and utilise it to illustrate and be representative for the Danes IT-skills the picture is misleading because other numbers show that a minor percentage use public digital services. There is no logic correlation between the use of digital services and being able to use a computer.
A group of scientists; DiMaggio, Hargittai and Warschauer propose to separate the concept of digital divide into two disparate issues; access and ability. They term this division the second-level digital divide (Hargittai & Hinnant 2008: 604f). The first-level digital divide is the original binary approach to the phenomenon. The second-level digital divide-approach could be a way to deal with the problem. Additionally the politicians could be inspired of the scientists' work to find new ways of measuring the redefined concept. Warschauer (2003: 6ff) uses this approach by focusing on situational divides where access and ability should be assessed in relation to every single situation and each kind of digital service. Also Rindsig from Local Government Denmark (2010: 3) suggests that situational divides should be measured henceforward. To exemplify, Rindsig points out that it demands various IT-skills to apply for a new passport compared to applying for incapacity benefit. By measuring according to access and ability in each situation it would thereby be possible to obtain a deeper political understanding and to formulate a new definition of the digital divide that includes the understanding of situational IT-skills. Today Statistics Denmark measures IT-skills by various technical IT actions a person can perform. This does not provide us
with a one unified measure like the IT-barometer did; however, it is the only indicators of the digital divide in the meantime.
The change of the way to measure and define the IT-skills in relation to changing political agendas can be compared to a similar occurrence, which is documented by Jæger (2003: 165). Every year the best official homepage is elected by ITST on the basis of certain criteria, which are a result of some normative, political and technical choices. The initiative can be understood as a way to make the official IT-politics concrete (Ibid: 165). These criteria have changed, before 2002 an official homepage was assessed for its e- democracy approach, these criteria are not included in the assessment any more (Ibid: 167). This change also illustrates a shift in the official policy; official homepages do not have to be made in accordance with a democratic perspective.
In relation to the research question, this discussion about the repeal of the IT-barometer shows that the digital divide can theoretically be bridged by changing the definition of the term. If the definition by the Minister of Science is used, the digital divide is narrowing because more Danes are the Internet on a regular basis, an increasing number of people send text messages and the majority use online banking. According to the opposition, it is not possible to draw a valid conclusion because there is a lack of data and knowledge. Regardless of who the digital divide is measured, all the political actors agree that there is a group of citizens who need support and an alternative to the digital services to be part of today's information society, the multiple ways of being in contact with the public authorities is defined as a channel strategy.