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October 2023
12.10.2023 – Cybersecurity affects everyone – because the focus is always on people. Read the press release in German.
06.10.2023 – Digital sovereignty and critical infrastructure – where are the limits? Read the press release in German.
05.10.2023 – The electronic patient dossier is at a crossroads. Read the press release in German.
May 2023
26.05.2023 – digitalswitzerland: Strengthen regions, increase impact. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
December 2022
14.12.2022 – The Swiss population is ready for a digital healthcare system. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
October 2022
27.10.2022 – Those were the Swiss Digital Days 2022. Find the press release in German, French and Italian.
04.10.2022 – Study on digitalisation in Switzerland: Great willingness – little movement. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
03.10.2022 – Swiss Digital Days 2022 are coming to Eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Read the press release in German.
September 2022
28.09.2022 – IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking: Switzerland once again among the top 5 worldwide. Read the press release in German and French.
27.09.2022 – Swiss Digital Days 2022 are coming to Ticino. Read the press release in Italian.
20.09.2022 – Digital sustainability and secure browsing: Swiss Digital Days are coming to the Romandie. Read the press release in French.
13.09.2022 – Augmented reality glasses and e-scooters: Swiss Digital Days are coming to Zurich. Read the press release in German.
06.09.2022 – Digital topics for young and old: there’s something for everyone at Swiss Digital Days in Northwestern Switzerland. Read the press release in German.
05.09.2022 – Switzerland’s largest NFT project unveiled at the start of Swiss Digital Days 2022. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
August 2022
30.08.2022- 4. Digital Gipfel Schweiz: International business leaders, academics and digital thought leaders meet to exchange views on the digital future. Read the press release in German and French.
29.08.2022 – Startup battle, hackathon and big bubbles: Swiss Digital Days are coming to Bern. Read the press release in German.
July 2022
21.07.2022 – From A as in Aarau to Z as in Zurich: Swiss Digital Days 2022 are going on a Switzerland-wide tour. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
June 2022
28.06.2022 – No improvement in cybersecurity among SMEs despite digitalisation boost from Corona crisis. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
March 2022
18.03.2022 – An important step towards increasing Switzerland’s cyber resilience: statement on Amendment of the Ordinance on Telecommunications Services (OTS) to protect telecommunications infrastructures and services. Read the press release in German and French.
January 2022
26.01.2022 – Statement on the amendment of the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration. Read the press release in German and French.
18.01.2022 – The Swiss Digital Initiative presents the world’s first label for digital responsibility. Read the press release in English, German, French and Italian.
December
23.12.2021 – Stefan Metzger appointed new Managing Director of digitalswitzerland. Read the press release in German, English, Italian and French.
November
18.11.2021 – Home office is establishing itself as a place of work for SMEs. Read the press release in German, French and Italian.
11.11.2021 – Digital Economy Award: Recognition for digital excellence. The digital pioneers of the year have been selected. Read the Press Release in German and French.
7.11.2021 – Programming with purpose: #herHACK Switzerland’s largest female hackathon sets an example for gender diversity. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
3.11.2021 – The Swiss Digital Initiative unveils the Digital Trust Label Seal. The Press Release is available in English.
October 2021
28.10.2021 – Digital Day 2021: 12 hours of livestream and over 150 events, online and across Switzerland. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
14.10.2021 – A Swiss Pavilion at GITEX Technology Week, one of the largest technology fairs in the Middle East. The Press Release is available in German and French.
13.10.2021 – The E-ID is inevitable – let’s move forward. The Press Release is available in German and French. Read the statement in German.
7.10.2021 – Wake-up call from pandemic: The Swiss want to improve digital skills. Press Release is available in German, French and Italian. Data is available in German.
September 2021
30.09.2021 – Finalists of the Digital Economy Award: Fintech industry booming, healthcare more digital as never before. The Press Release is available in German and French.
29.09.2021 – Kick Off for Digital Day 2021 – 6 weeks of inspiration start now! Press Release available in German, French and Italian.
15.09.2021 – Unacceptable solution for the Labour Law – flexible working for the ICT sector continues to be out of reach. digitalswitzerland calls for key points to be added to the insufficient proposal. The Press Release is available in German and French.
7.07.2021 – Possible approach for the creation of a trustworthy Distributed Ledger Technology ecosystem in Switzerland. The Press Release is available in German, French and English.
August 2021
31.08.2021 – Swiss Digital Day 2021: Digital skills for a digital future. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
24.08.2021 – 3rd Digital Gipfel Switzerland: International digital experts and
Swiss business representatives exchange ideas on digitalisation. The Press Release is available in German and French.
18.08.2021 – Security above speed: Yes to the e-voting proposal with a sense of moderation. The Press Release is available in German and French.
July 2021
13.07.2021 – Swiss Digital Day 2021: This is how the population is shaping Switzerland’s digital future. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
June 2021
24.06.2021 – Untapped potential for skilled workers among older employees. The Press Release is available in German and French. Survey available in German.
17.06.2021 – Digital Economy Award: Honouring Switzerland’s digital
Switzerland’s top digital achievements takes place. The Press Release is available in German and French.
2.06.2021 – digitalswitzerland confirms new president. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
May 2021
27.05.2021 – digitalswitzerland confirms new president. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
11.05.2021 – Switzerland-wide initiative strengthens digital skills of
employees. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
6.05.2021 – SDI Report: Labels and Certifications for the Digital World – Mapping the International Landscape. The Press Release is available in German, French & English.
April 2021
21.04.2021 – Switzerland provides new impulses for innovation: Privacy Icons wins award for the most impressive digitalisation project. The Press Release is available in German and French.
16.04.2021 – Sascha Zahnd becomes new president of digitalswitzerland. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
12.04.2021 – Cutting-edge Swiss technologies showcased at the digital HANNOVER MESSE 2021. The Press Release is available in German and French.
March 2021
7.03.2021 – The e-ID law is rejected. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
February 2021
17.02.2021 – Digital Economy Award enters 3rd round: Nomination phase started. The Press Release is available in German, French and Italian.
January 2021
14.01.2021 – The E-ID law stands for a modern Switzerland. The Press Release is available in German.
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December
14.12.2023 – Festive digital news ✨
07.12.2023 – Thank you for being a part of Swiss Digital Days 2023 🎉
November
30.11.2023 – Digital December delights
23.11.2023 – You are invited to our Lighthouse Event! 🤩
09.11.2023 – Big reveal of Swiss Digital Days 🎉
02.11.2023 – Be part of the community
October
19.10.2023 – Raise your voice
12.10.2023 – Swiss Digital Days: halftime highlights 🎉
05.10.2023 – Dive into Cyberrisks, Digital Health and Future Skills
September
28.09.2023 – Swiss Digital Days: in the midst of digitalisation 🎉
21.09.2023 – Highlights and Horizons
14.09.2023 – Swiss Digital Days 2023 officially kicked off! 🎉
07.09.2023 – Event season is here 🤩
August
31.08.2023 – 5 more days until Swiss Digital Days 2023
24.08.2023 – Exploring digital frontiers
17.08.2023 – Swiss Digital Days 2023 – Are you ready?
10.08.2023 – Encouraging lifelong learning
July
27.07.2023 – Breaking down silos
13.07.2023 – Connecting the digital dots
June
29.06.2023 – Stay ahead of the curve
15.06.2023 – Connect, Collaborate, and Contribute
01.06.2023 – Breaking barriers and embracing diversity
May
17.05.2023 – Plunge into digitalisation through events
04.05.2023 – Transformative innovations take centre stage
April
20.04.2023 – 🖋️ Pull out your pen and block your agenda
06.04.2023 – 🏃♀️ Stay ahead in the digital age
March
23.03.2023 – 🤝 Let’s tackle the digital future together
09.03.2023 – Empowered through digitalisation
February
23.02.2023 – Finding trust in the digital world 🤝
09.02.2023 – 👥 Creating a brighter future together
January
26.01.2023 – 🤝 WEF 2023: moments of inspiration & engagement
12.01.2023 – Sharing is caring 🤝 Would you agree?
December
15.12.2022 – 💡Is Switzerland moving towards a digital healthcare system?
2.12.2022 – 💡Join us and reflect on 2022
November
17.11.2022 – The digital future: set yourself up for success 🚀
3.11.2022 – 🎬 🎤 That was Swiss Digital Days 2022
October
27.10.2022 – Swiss Digital Days 2022 Closing Event | Celebrate with us 🎊 🤖
20.10.2022 – Events, Exchanges and Endings ⏳🚀
13.10.2022 – You’re invited to the Swiss Digital Days Closing Event 🎊 🤖
6.10.2022 – Expand your comfort zone with digital skills 🦁
September
29.9.2022 – Having trouble keeping track of digitalisation? We’ve got you.
22.9.2022 – Switzerland’s ICT Skills Shortage | Swiss Digital Days & more! 🤖
8.9.2022 – We are attempting to break a world record and we need your help 🤩
1.9.2022 – Swiss Digital Days kick off on the Bundesplatz in Bern💥
August
25.8.2022 – Who can we trust?💭
18.8.2022 – You’re invited to Swiss Digital Days! 🚀✨
11.08.2022 – Digitalisation doesn’t take a summer break ☀️
July
28.7.2022 – 👩🏻⚕️ Are you taking care of your health?
14.7.2022 – How can we combat the skills shortage?
June
30.6.2022 – We made it on national TV 📺
16.6.2022 – A summer of opportunities
2.6.2022 – Is Switzerland future ready? 🔮
Mai
19.5.2022 – Don’t hide from Cybersecurity…
5.5.2022 – Digitalisation is a journey. Will you join us?
April
21.4.2022 – What’s in these buzz words? 👀
7.4.2022 – The best time to learn is now
March
24.3.2022 – On security in the digital space
10.3.2022 – Digital transformation is yours to lead
February
24.2.2022 – Meeting AI with critical curiosity
10.2.2022 – Shape the digital space you inhabit
January
27.1.2022 – Are you future-workforce ready? 🎓💻
6.1.2022 – New Year, New Managing Director: Welcome Stefan Metzger! 💥
December
16.12.2021 Celebrating all that was, is and will be ✨
November
18.11.201 – We’re hiring! Change the trajectory of the digital future
October
21.10.2021 – Digital utopia or dystopia? The choice is yours
September
23.9.2021– 65% of children today will work in jobs that don’t exist today! 😳
August
19.8.2021 – The internet doesn’t ‘work’ unless you do 😳
July
28.7.2021 – A new digital profession + ways to shape your career 🤓
8.7.2021 – Is endless growth a myth? 🧐
June
17.6.2021 – Growth opportunities: Awards, careers & financial support
May
31.5.2021 – This is one worth clicking: Annual report, free tickets & startup days
6.5.2021 – 10 trending startups, shape a new profession & events for you
April
16.4.2021 – A new President for digitalswitzerland, Leap Demo Day & more!
March
25.3.2021 – Coding Camps for kids & awards for educators
2.3.2021 – We’re hiring and discover our new look and feel
February
6.2.2021 – Young talents, promising startups and much, much more
January
29.1.2021 – Let’s make Switzerland a leading digital innovation hub!
7.1.2021 – New Year, same mission
The Swiss Digital Initiative, a Foundation initiated by digitalswitzerland in 2020, has created over the past two years, the first Digital Trust Label. The Label is a clear commitment to digital responsibility and empowers users of digital services to make better decisions and gives companies a tool to set them apart from their competition and commit to digital responsibility.
Digital services are increasingly part of every aspect of our lives. On a daily basis, we use them from checking the weather in the morning, to interacting with our bank, filing an insurance claim to grocery shopping. In all these interactions, we need to blindly trust that providers’ digital services are working reliably and protect our data. With almost daily news about scandals, data breaches and successful cyberattacks, trust is eroding.
On the other hand, providers investing significant resources and effort into providing safe and trustworthy digital services face difficulties credibly signalling those efforts to customers. Why should one service be considered by customers and regulators as more trustworthy than another?
The Digital Trust Label initiated by the Swiss Digital Initiative addresses both the problems of digital trust and accountability. It is a clear and easily understandable Label that denotes the trustworthiness of a digital service. It shows a clear commitment to digital responsibility, which not only provides customers with much needed transparency and additional information but also gives companies a tool to navigate a rapidly changing regulatory environment and set themselves apart from the competition.
The Label is issued on the basis of an in-depth audit conducted by an independent auditor. The auditor in turn bases his work on the Label criteria catalogue that was developed with the Swiss Digital Initiative’s main partner, EPFL, and experts from diverse backgrounds such as cybersecurity and consumer organisations. The feasibility of such criteria was then tested with the co-development organisations such as SwissRe, Booking.com and Swisscom. The Label criteria catalogue is the result of two years of expert work, user studies and public consultations and ensures practicality as well as leading expertise. To keep up with technological developments and market demand, the Label criteria catalogue will also be continuously updated.
The Digital Trust Label takes into account existing standards and regulatory frameworks such as GDPR and combines the dimensions of security, data protection, reliability and fair user interaction. This combination sets it apart from other Labels that might go into more detail in one dimension but cannot make a comprehensive assessment of trustworthiness. As such, the Label is particularly interesting for digital services where the question of digital trust is of importance, e.g. due to the handling of sensitive data or automated decision-making and other applications of artificial intelligence. For our overarching vision of digital trust, be sure to check out our Digital Trust Whitepaper.
The trend for growing importance of digital responsibility and digital trust is evident, not just by regulatory discussions and actions around the world but also by the fact that the Swiss Digital Initiative has identified around 50 like-minded initiatives globally. Labelling can act as a first step towards a trustworthy digital transformation by showing a clear commitment to digital responsibility.
How can you get the Digital Trust Label for your digital service? Once a company has identified a relevant digital service, the complexity, cost and duration of the audit is discussed in a scoping call with SDI and the auditor. With a price range of CHF 22’000 – 45’000, the Label is primarily designed for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business to business to consumer (B2B2C) digital services with a high user exposure.
After the audit is conducted, SDI experts will perform an additional check and decide on the label award. Once the Label has been granted, the service provider may use it for the audited service. The Label is granted for three years with two quality checks in between. Given technological progress, a repetition of the audit after the initial three-year Label validity period is highly recommended to show continued commitment to trustworthy digital services.
Learn more about the Digital Trust Label here. You can also reach out to Sarah Gaedig, DTL project manager: sarah@sdi-foundation.org
Study on digitalisation and cybersecurity in SMEs 2021
The current study on digitalisation and cybersecurity in SMEs 2021 has revealed that home office has established itself as a place of work for SMEs. Small businesses in Switzerland are demonstrating flexibility. Home office uptake doubled since the start of the Corona crisis. The downside: while a quarter of the companies surveyed were affected by cyberattacks in 2020, more than a third were affected in the current survey. The implementation of technical measures against cyberattacks is at a high level. However, there is much potential in the implementation of organisational measures such as conducting security audits and employee training.
The survey was carried out on behalf of the Swiss Mobiliar Insurance Company Ltd, digitalswitzerland, Allianz Digitale Sicherheit Schweiz, the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW – Digital Transformation Competence Centre and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW.
Read the study in German.
Read the press release is available in German, French and Italian.
Read the press conference presentation in German and French.
First conducted in Switzerland in 2020
8 out of 10 SMEs entrust their digital infrastructures to external IT service providers and also seek advice from them in the area of cybersecurity. However, there is hardly any progress in the implementation of measures to protect against cybercrime. The results of the latest study on digitalisation and cybersecurity in SMEs make it clear: the more companies identify themselves as digital pioneers, the more often they implement technical and organisational measures to strengthen cybersecurity in their company. However, while in previous years around one fifth of the SMEs surveyed always saw themselves as digital pioneers, in 2023 this figure is only around one tenth.
The survey was carried out on behalf of the Swiss Mobiliar Insurance Company Ltd, digitalswitzerland, Allianz Digitale Sicherheit Schweiz, the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW – Digital Transformation Competence Centre and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW.
Published 21 June 2021
As in other sectors, digitalisation and the ageing of society will be drivers for the decline in labour market supply. The ageing of society means that an increasingly large proportion of the population will no longer be available as a workforce. The overarching goal of the study is to capture the skilled labour potential of the 58 – 70 age cohort in ICT and the opportunities to activate that group.
First conducted in Switzerland in 2015; annually updated.
digitalswitzerland supports the annual Swiss Software Industry Survey (SSIS), the largest study in all of Switzerland to examine the industry’s key performance indicators, which is carried out by the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Bern. The SSIS is a long-term survey and provides information on the latest situation, the newest trends and long-term developments in the Swiss software industry.
The complete study results since 2015 until today:
First conducted in Switzerland in 2010; updated every two years.
The number of people working in information and communication technology (ICT) in Switzerland is growing at twice the rate of the overall economy. Every two years, ICT Vocational Training Switzerland, a subsidiary association of digitalswitzerland, considers how many ICT specialists the country will need in the coming eight years.
The complete study results since 2010 until today (only available in German):
First conducted in Switzerland in 2019
From 25 January to 15 February 2019, the market and social research institute gfs-zürich asked one thousand adults in German-speaking and western Switzerland about online security.
The survey shows that about one million people in Switzerland have already been affected by an attack via the Internet. These attacks resulted in financial damage, needed time and expense to put them right or had a stressful emotional impact. Nonetheless, more than half of those affected believe they are sufficiently well informed to be able to protect themselves against such attacks. This conflicting view, at odds with the reality of the damage caused, shows just how important comprehensive awareness-raising activities are.
First conducted in Switzerland in 2017.
More than a third of all Swiss SMEs are affected by cyber-attacks. Most, however, still feel they are well to very well protected, and only 4% of SMEs’ CEOs consider a cyber-attack a significant or very significant risk to their livelihood. These disturbing findings are from the representative survey carried out by market and social research institute gfs-zürich. Trade associations and the government are being pressed to take action to counteract this nonchalance towards cyber-attacks.
First conducted in Switzerland in 2015.
The study shows that job-seeking IT professionals aged 45 and over are well qualified overall. The fact that job market opportunities fall as applicants get older could be related to recruiting filters. There is a lack of transparency in the IT industry due to the lack of a single language for describing capabilities and requirements. The study proposes specific measures to promote opportunities on the labour market for Swiss IT professionals. The measures and recommendations are aimed at applicants/employees, employers and industry associations, educational institutions as well as politicians and administrators.
Thanks to modern infrastructure and location-independent activities, two-thirds of Swiss SMEs were able to respond quickly to the coronavirus lockdown and in many cases could switch easily to working from home. At the start of 2020, an average of 10% of employees worked primarily from home, and during the lockdown this rose to almost four times as many. The numbers fell again after the lockdown, and with 16% of employees now working from home, this equates to a 60% increase compared to the start of the year. While Swiss SMEs demonstrated flexibility, the risks from home offices and digitalisation are underestimated by many companies. Although a quarter of Swiss SMEs have already been victims of a serious cyberattack, two-thirds of SMEs neither hold regular employee training on the subject of cyber security nor have a security concept in place.
From August to October 2020, the market and social research institute gfs-zürich conducted a representative survey of 503 CEOs of small companies (with 4 to 49 employees) in the German, French and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland on the effects the coronavirus pandemic has had on digitalisation. The survey was commissioned by digitalswitzerland, Mobiliar, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the School of Business of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW).
An overview of the main findings:
Florian Schütz, Federal Cyber Security Delegate, praised the adaptability of Swiss SMEs: “It is really promising to see how much progress even the smaller SMEs in Switzerland have made with regard to their IT infrastructure, and that increasing focus is being placed on cyber security. The lockdown showed how important the digital transformation is for companies to remain adaptable. Many SMEs have recognised this and are accelerating their digitalisation activities. However, the current situation also makes it clear how important it is that we create framework conditions in order to shape cyber security in Switzerland in a way that the opportunities associated with digitalisation can be exploited as much as possible. The federal government plans to further expand its efforts and actively support the general population and businesses in the protection against cyber risks.”
Andreas Hölzli, Head of the Cyber Risk Competence Centre at Mobiliar, explained that “Although Swiss SMEs are investing in IT security, one in four of the SMEs surveyed has already been a victim of a cyberattack. The problem is that organizational measures in particular are often considered less important. Companies need measures that go beyond the technical aspects, including raising awareness among their employees, for instance.”
Prof. Dr Marc K. Peter of FHNW believes that working from home will become an established component of the new working world strategy for “blended working” in the long term: “For many jobs, a combination of working from home and working in the office will become part of everyday life. With this, however, urgent consideration needs to be given to the fact that this will require huge investments in technology and IT at Swiss SMEs.”
For Nicole Wettstein, Cybersecurity Programme Manager at SATW, the large number of SMEs affected by a cyberattack is motivation for driving forward the current awareness-raising activities: “It is crucial that the number of SMEs implementing the minimum measures for basic cyber security protection continues to increase.”
Andreas W. Kaelin, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Cyber Security Dossier at digitalswitzerland, indicated that, “according to the survey, around two-thirds of small businesses rely on the support of external IT service providers. This means we need to urgently take action to make it easier for companies to identify trustworthy IT service providers, because the security of a company relies entirely on the service providers.”
In May, the Swiss Parliament decided that a legal framework must be put in place. The Federal Council submitted the Botschaft for the urgent federal law on the corona tracing app on 20 May. This week, the Swiss Parliament finally gave green light to officially make the app available for the general public. The app will be published by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). According to a survey, 70 percent of the Swiss population welcomes its introduction.
This blog takes a closer look at the App and what we can expect from it, the current status of the worldwide release of digital contact tracing apps and the critical questions that are still open.
The new proximity tracing app has raised high hopes to get back to normal. The SwissCovid-App is designed to alert users who have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus. It notifies the user if he or she has been less than two meters away from an infected person for more than fifteen minutes.
As great the potential benefits of such an application are, it is crucial to be also aware of potential risks. It is crucial that the data collected for contact tracing may never be used for other purposes – or linked to other data to identify and possibly further profile individuals.
Regarding the SwissCovid-App, the technical aspects are fulfilled. The App fulfills the criteria of “privacy by design”, does not track the user’s location, only the proximity between users of the app based on Bluetooth. In a first blog about proximity tracing apps, I summarized the formal criteria that must be met for a trustworthy app: voluntary, transparency, privacy by design, decentralized storage and processing of data, temporary, necessary, proportionate and scientifically validated. However, to be effective, the app must be used by as many people as possible. Trust in the app is therefore essential.
Within a very short amount of time, a team of developers and researchers has developed a complex distributed app that meets the highest technical, security and data protection standards. The SwissCovid App is based on the Apple-Google API. This makes Switzerland the first country in the world to use the Google and Apple interface for proximity tracing. By joining forces, Apple and Google are setting the global standard – which in turn was decisively shaped by the Swiss researchers from ETHZ and EPFL. They were able to win over the two tech giants for the decentralized approach, which offers maximum data and privacy protection.
To this date, at least 48 contact-tracing apps are available globally. Australia, South Korea, France and Singapore, for instance, have already implemented contact tracing apps. Many other governments are testing or considering them. This public list gives a good overview of the various contact tracing apps and digital tracking measures in use around the world. The approaches differ considerably from country to country. There are roughly two camps: the centralized and decentralized approach
For instance, France and the UK currently use a central protocol. Under this system, data is entered into centralized computer systems operated by the government. In Switzerland, the protocol and storage of data is decentralized. This offers users more privacy and control over their information by keeping it on their phone. Many countries in Europe, for example Germany, opt for the decentralized approach based on the Swiss model, which is also promoted by Apple and Google.
South Korea’s contact-tracing approach uses video surveillance, credit card data and geolocation information. This extensive collection of data and intrusive surveillance is problematic from a data protection perspective.
With only a quarter of the population having downloaded the app, Singapore is now even going a step further. The government is working on a contact tracing method using a portable, wearable device that could be distributed to everyone in the country.
The parliamentary decision to create a legal framework for the app has allowed a broad public debate on the potential benefits and risks of digital contact tracing, and the clarification of open questions about the process. It underlines the dimension of voluntariness by prohibiting companies and others to force people to use the app. After a test phase, which involved around 15’000 people, the testing of the security, as well as functionality of the app, we will have soon an app available that meets key privacy and security issues from a technical point of view, while at the same time being introduced in a clear and legal framework that protects the rights and freedoms of citizens. In addition, the Federal Council should be able to stop the app when it is no longer necessary or when the app proves to be insufficiently effective. These points are of crucial importance and, in combination with transparency and communication along the process, have helped to create trust. Thus, the Swiss App could potentially serve as a global role model for responsible digital contact tracing. As part of a broader strategy (test, trace, isolate), digital contact tracing could make a significant contribution to the common good and be an act of solidarity
However, the real test to prove its effectiveness starts with its public release, expected at the end of June. It is an experiment. No one knows today how many people will actually use the app, what long-term impact this will have on our society and our use of new technologies. The debate and development process of the app is so far seen positive, yet its release should be followed critically. Bluetooth technology is not flawless either. It cannot be completely ruled out that so-called “false positives” – i.e. false reports of a possible infection – will occur more frequently than in classical contact tracing. Whether the SwissCovid-App will be a success story will be seen in the next days and weeks.
Digital transformation is here to stay. We must therefore constantly foster dialogue to increase awareness for all that is and will become digital. Digitalisation brings not only opportunities, but also risks that need to be addressed and taken seriously. In my series “Dialogue Interviews” I discuss these topics with leaders in Switzerland, from our member organisations to digital shapers and the brightest minds in the fields of technology and innovation.
In this edition, I talked to Philipp Metzger, Director General of the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM).
Nicolas: Mr. Metzger, you have been Director General of the OFCOM since 2014 and lead the Swiss Government’s Digital Switzerland Strategy and Digital Action Plan. In February 2020, you’re moving on to take up a new professional challenge. Before you go, please would you share some insights into the progress of the initiative in the first two years since it was launched?
Mr. Metzger: The national ‘Digital Switzerland’ conference, which was organised by the Swiss Confederation, took place on 2 September 2019 in Basel and discussed many of our achievement so far. It was also a chance to take stock of where we stand and consider where we’re heading.
In his opening speech, Ueli Maurer, President of the Swiss Confederation, emphasised Switzerland’s leading position in fintech and blockchain, thanks to our forward-looking regulation. He set this as a benchmark for future endeavours. He also noted the creation of the Cyber Security Center and the appointment of a Cyber Security Delegate, while acknowledging that a lot remains to be done in this area to increase confidence in digitalisation in Switzerland. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga focused on the package of measures to support the media sector, especially online media, which will be submitted to Parliament in 2020. We need to redefine the framework conditions to enable the media to continue to play their pivotal role in our democracy as our environment becomes increasingly digital.
Nicolas: And what are some of the highlights so far, in your view?
One highlight in the implementation of the strategy has to be the analysis led by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. The results of this work are expected to be available before the end of 2019 and will include consideration of measures to be undertaken in this area.
Elsewhere, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is evaluating legislation relevant to economic policy to identify provisions that unnecessarily hamper digitalisation, or that are redundant as a result of digital development. Having surveyed a broad range of business associations, trade unions, companies and consumer protection organisations in the context of a ‘Digital Test’ survey, SECO has found that legal requirements hinder a wide range of transactions in a digital business environment. These requirements will now be reviewed and revised with a view to facilitating the further development of the digital economy.
Last but not least, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has launched the digital self-determination network. Its aim is to examine the social, legal, regulatory and technical prerequisites to strengthen people’s digital self-determination. As far as possible, citizens should be able to decide for themselves who may use their data and for what purpose. A first use case in the field of mobility should demonstrate how the different actors organise their cooperation in order to ensure a free, self-determined and trustworthy data exchange between all participants.
Nicolas: The IMD Worldwide Digital Competitiveness Index ranks Switzerland at number 37 in terms of e-participation and 36 for starting a business. Both domains depend on the Swiss government and the cantons. What can we do to improve our position in the next 2-3 years?
Mr. Metzger: The IMD World Digital Competitiveness Index 2019 measures e-participation in terms of governments’ use of online services to facilitate provision of information to citizens (e-government), interaction with stakeholders (e-consultation), and engagement in decision-making processes (e-voting).
In e-government, various measures are currently being taken in Switzerland to further develop the system. In a shared project, stakeholders are currently working on solutions to help the Confederation, the cantons and the municipalities manage and coordinate their digitalisation activities, initiatives and projects more effectively. The current structures are not designed to meet the requirements of a digital society (changing demands in society, competition between locations, speed, etc.). This contributes to increasingly complex and inefficient coordination and control of digital activities. In addition, the Federal Chancellery is in the process of preparing a report on compliance with procedural requests from Parliament regarding more efficient consultation procedures and the opportunities of civic tech. Furthermore, the Federal Council wants to promote participation and innovation by publishing the data of the federal offices; this would make administrative data freely available to the economy for use in applications such as the creation of new business models. The use of open administrative data is the main objective of the second Open Government Data Strategy (2019 – 2023) adopted by the Federal Council in November 2018.
The Federal Council has also taken an important decision in the area of e-voting. It has commissioned the Federal Chancellery to work with the cantons by the end of 2020 to devise a reorientation of the trial operation and to present it in a report.
As for start-ups, there is progress with regard to the financing aspect. According to the Swiss Venture Capital Report, the capital invested has quadrupled since 2012 and so have the financing rounds for Swiss start-ups. The areas with the most investment are ICT solutions for the business sector and life sciences. In fintech, Switzerland is a leader. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, which has been investigating entrepreneurial activities and their impact on national economies worldwide for twenty years, also shows good framework conditions for start-ups in Switzerland (Switzerland is ranked third after the USA and the Netherlands). There is scope, though, to better exploit potential in terms of entrepreneurial activity.
Nicolas: As general question, in which digital and innovation areas do you see Switzerland having a leading position worldwide in 3-5 years?
Mr. Metzger: Switzerland will continue to lead in the areas of fintech and blockchain by promoting digitalisation of the financial sector with appropriate regulation. In December 2018, the Federal Council adopted a report by the State Secretariat for International Finance SIF on the legal framework for blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) in the financial sector. The emphasis is on creating the best possible framework conditions so that Switzerland can establish and further develop its position as a leading, innovative and sustainable location for fintech and DLT companies. Healthcare is another area in which Switzerland could blaze a trail in the future – if we succeed in making optimum use of the advantages of new technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics. This includes rapid automated collection of health-relevant information, extracting new insights from the systematic evaluation of this information and making treatment-relevant information available at the right time and place.
Analysis and measures to secure the digital supply chain
The internet is connecting people and machines more and more and has already made a lasting difference to our lives. While the integrity and safety of products from traditional sectors are inspected for certain issues prior to market approval (e.g. in the areas of mobility, food, medicines, etc.), the quality and safety of many digital products is not assured. There are various reasons for this. Today’s supply chain security for digital products is often inadequate and undermines the existing security measures. Also, decision-makers are often unable to make sustainable decisions due to a lack of well-founded and transparent information.
As digitalisation progresses, ignorance concerning the level of security of the products used can lead to critical threats. If incompletely tested products are used in critical infrastructures, threats may be widespread and endanger the provision to society in the areas of electricity, medicine, mobility and physical protection. These risks are abstract, have developed slowly and, consequently, were ignored for a long time and continually accumulated until now.
The Supply Chain Security working group analyses how technological risks are dealt with in other sectors (e.g. electricity supply) and, based on this, identifies and documents the measures that are needed for secure digitalisation. The following topics are addressed, among others:
As a society, we have a duty to prevent known and avoidable mistakes so that now and in the future the opportunities offered by digitalisation outweigh the risks.
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