digitalse

Digitalse is a term used in discussions of digital society to denote a holistic framework that examines how digital technologies, data flows, and online platforms reshape everyday life, work, governance, and markets. Unlike more specific concepts, digitalse is not tied to a single theory or policy and is used variably across disciplines. In common usage, it points to the integrated nature of digital transformation, where infrastructure, services, and social practices influence each other in complex ways.

Origins and usage: The coinage appears in late 2010s–early 2020s academic and industry writing as a way to capture the broad reach of digital change. It is sometimes contrasted with narrower terms such as digitalization (process) or digital economy (market-focused). Etymologically, it blends digital with a suffix that signals a field of inquiry, akin to other interdisciplinary terms.

Core components: Digitalse encompasses digital identity and privacy, data governance and interoperability, platform ecosystems and user behavior, digital labor and economies, and governance of digital infrastructure (networks, cloud, AI). It emphasizes the interdependence of technology, policy, and social norms, as well as the global nature of digital flows.

Applications and implications: Proponents use digitalse to analyze policy choices, corporate strategy, and civic institutions in the age of digitization. Critics warn that the term can be overly broad and vague, potentially obscuring important differences between technologies and sectors.

See also: Digital transformation, digital identity, data governance, platform economy, digital sovereignty.