When public policies, even well-intentioned ones, can fail!

Over the years and with technological advances, it is common for services to be replaced by faster, safer and more innovative ones. It is common sense that the Brazilian State demands too much from its taxpayers and gives them little back, a complaint that is not exclusive to us Brazilians, but very present in our daily lives.

Considering how technology is present in our lives and how we should relate to it, in light of the advances mentioned above, the Brazilian Government began a transition in 2001, with the implementation of MP No. 2.200-2, of August 24, 2001, which created the Brazilian Public Key Infrastructure (ICP-Brasil).

This is the famous digital signature, which allowed the digitalization of several public services, including the replacement of printed documents, such as paychecks, with digital versions, through a publicly recognized signature system that is valid throughout the national territory.

Over the years, we have seen an expansion in the supply of digital services from various spheres of government, with the implementation of electronic invoices, providing greater assertiveness in tax collection and consequently returning taxes to society through public services.

With Law No. 14,129/2021 (Digital Government Law), already in a scenario of great technological advancement, with access to cell phones, computers, and the internet to a much larger number of people, it was possible to implement the gov.br platform, which finally started a revolution in public service, simplifying and integrating various federal government services that make life easier for businesspeople and citizens who need information or access to public services.

However, the title of this article suggests that something could escape the control of this important public policy, and it seems that it really did. I would like to draw attention to the result of this digitalization of services, which still creates difficulties in accessing services for the population, especially the poorest and least educated, as well as the elderly who were not naturally exposed to or raised in the midst of this technological innovation and who have to adapt to the new times, such as having access to their salary and/or pension statements.

This failure, which arose from a well-intentioned public policy, created a loophole for fraudsters to apply the scam of undue discounts through associations or bank loans, both of which are illicit and abominable activities, given the vulnerability of those who suffered the scam, which has a strong impact on their family budgets.

This INSS scandal reinforces the need to advance in instruments that can combat abuses committed through the collusion of public servants and private entities, in addition to the need for greater monitoring and control, which was lacking in this case. Despite this flaw in the system, we must continue to move forward to reduce bureaucracy in public services. However, we must educate our population to access these services and be able to monitor the direction of their lives, thus preventing them from becoming victims of persistent fraudsters who take advantage of these loopholes to commit scams.

Blesser Moreno, Sociologist, Master in Public Policy, UFC