Digital Society

The ubiquity of all things digital has accelerated over the last 20 years and continues to grow exponentially. The digital society brings many benefits as well as problems, and action is required to solve them.

RAND Europe supports public and private sector decision makers in harnessing the benefits of the new information economy. We also help policymakers identify and respond to technology's challenges.

Featured Research

  • Innovation and communication-focused society concept, photo by Hurca!/Adobe Stock

    How technology may change services sectors

    Researchers explored how 'game-changing' tech like robotics, autonomous transport, blockchain, virtual and augmented reality, and wearable devices will impact the EU's services sectors, and their wider socio-economic implications.

Selected Research

  • Tablet pc with healthcare mobile apps, and medical objects on a desk

    Benchmarking deployment of eHealth among European GPs

    30 May 2019

    RAND Europe and partners measured the use of ICT and eHealth applications by primary care physicians in the EU 28 Member States and Norway, compared the results with a 2013 study, and analysed the main drivers of change and factors that can enhance or inhibit the role and use of technologies within health care.

  • World map and technology concept, photo by ivanastar/Getty Images

    Case studies provide lessons in oversight of emerging S&T

    21 Mar 2019

    Ten case studies examine science and technology oversight around the world. Based on these studies, researchers compiled a list of lessons for policymakers and stakeholders interested in encouraging and enabling emerging technology.

  • Hand silhouette working on a laptop keyboard

    Social media in Africa presents double-edged sword

    05 Nov 2018

    The spread of social media in Africa has brought many economic and political benefits, while also equipping terrorist groups with a tool for recruitment and propaganda. Researchers examined the links between social media use and online radicalisation in six African countries, drawing on primary Twitter data analysis.

  • Visualisation of the communication network in Tokyo

    Lessons for safeguarding the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

    18 Oct 2018

    Researchers explored the cybersecurity threat landscape of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the lessons that can be learned from previous Olympic Games, which actors pose a cybersecurity threat, and what policy options can help planners mitigate these risks.

  • Global internet security illustration

    Toolbox aims to support cybersecurity capacity building

    02 Aug 2018

    Using the GCSCC’s Cyber Security Capacity Maturity Model, researchers developed a proof-of-concept toolbox that presents guidelines and approaches for government officials and cybersecurity practitioners interested in cybersecurity capacity building.

  • The word 'hate' on a keyboard

    Linking hate speech online and hate crime

    06 Jul 2018

    RAND and Cardiff University are analysing online hate speech data to see if it can be used to identify areas where offline hate crimes are most likely to occur. The research aims to inform strategies to prevent and address hate crimes.

  • Young adults using smartphones at university college backyard break

    Tackling the challenges of algorithm-driven online media services

    21 May 2018

    Researchers from RAND Europe and Open Evidence are using state-of-the-art knowledge and data to understand the media literacy and online empowerment issues raised by algorithms in online media services and platforms.

  • Hand press on free trial button on virtual screen

    'Free' trials mislead many EU consumers

    19 Mar 2018

    Labelling that includes a notice of the monthly fee to be charged after the end of a free trial can help to improve consumers' awareness of subscription traps, but many people overlook the information or are overconfident in their ability to remember to cancel.