New digital technologies are developed at an unprecedented speed. Digital development has rapidly accelerated industry, and yet it still grows exponentially. Developers have enormous interest, and incentive, in bringing new solutions to the market. Such competitive force is optimal for maturing both the market and emerging technologies. However, competitive motivation may also hinder responsible development, because, among other things, competition encourages secrecy surrounding the development process rather than stimulating open source access. Competition also incentivises the collection of valuable (and often private) consumer data, as this enables optimization, and heightens both economic earnings and attraction of customers. As such, contribution to the common good is seldom a first priority. And though Danish companies have a great many obstacles competing with large, international tech-companies, we are entering a new era in which the responsible development and deployment of technology will be a competitive advantage.

Both legislators and the public have a hard time keeping up with the speed of the digital revolution. Policy makers are unable to operate ahead of development, just as citizens struggle to make informed choices about their digital consumption. It’s estimated that one fifth of Danish adults are currently digitally vulnerable (12). Only a minor group of tech enthusiasts follow the latest trends, and most Danes have never heard of technologies such as the metaverse, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrencies, which all contribute to the emerging digital world. The lack of knowledge regarding important new technologies is an economic, social, and democratic issue.

Basic individual and collective rights also apply to the digital space. Basic human rights are the foundation for human life and are every bit as vital in the digital sphere. Global society is currently developing legislation to secure individual and collective rights in the digital world. The European Union has long been a front-runner in terms of legislation in the digital space, securing human and collective rights while maintaining democratic principles.

The path from legislation to actual change in implementation, practice, and behavior is long. But experts point to the fact that ambitions and intentions in new EU legislation are excellent, and new legislation is paving the way forward. Legislation will always happen at a slower pace than technological development, but if politicians are able to maintain pace with development, legislation can establish ambitious sustainability standards for future digital products and services.

While GDPR-legislation is well intentioned, with good ideals, the application of many principles fails to take user behavior into account. Users rarely read the terms and conditions before accepting cookies or downloading apps. But platforms offering knowledge, tools, and entertainment act as if users are making informed consent when accepting terms and conditions. 54% of Danes state they never read the terms of use before downloading a new app. One explanation for this behavior is an imbalance in the way platforms function, as well as in understanding of the legislative ideals. Therefore, companies ought to seize the responsibility to lead users in the right direction.

So, who has the responsibility to tackle this imbalance? 33% of the Danish population trust that companies take sufficient action to ensure digital technologies contribute positively to society, 21% trust that politicians do enough, and 25% trust consumers do enough. 49% of the population believe politicians, companies, and consumers all have an equal amount of responsibility, but of the three groups, more people expect politicians to take responsible action. There is space yet to bolster the responsibility taken by all groups, and much work to be done in making people more aware of their digital behavior.

Due to the rapid rate of development, legislators can only aim to be fast followers of technologic progress. Companies must take responsibility for any potential negative impacts, including parameters such as user privacy and control. For a long time, the mantra in tech development was ”move fast and break things”, first articulated by Mark Zuckerberg, now CEO of Meta (14). Certainly, there is a need for trial and error, because development processes are often linear with few possibilities for corrections, tests, and measurements. But perhaps the solution is to move thoughtfully such that positive impact overrules speed as a success parameter, while ensuring transparency in the design process and underlying code.

In the future, the need for technological specialists will be important, but making technological knowledge applicable, easily understandable, and relevant in a social and political context will be essential. It is fast becoming a competitive edge to lead the way towards greater transparency.

Denmark is one of the most digitized nations in the world. 98% of the population is online, and the United Nations appointed Denmark as the world's most advanced country in terms of public digitalization in 2018 and 2020 (15). Denmark is in a unique position to take on a new digital design venture, establishing digital versions of Arne Jacobsen or Poul Henningsen in the process. But what will it take to create a new digital export based on Danish values and societal characteristics?

The combination of a highly cooperative tradition, high trust, and a high degree of digital implementation constitutes a unique position for Danish companies and the public sector, and ideal circumstances to lead the way for regenerative, democratic, and human-centric digitalization. Whether it be our work lives, public services, educational system, or health system, we have already embraced the first of responsible digitalization. Danish governments have made a concerted effort across various policies for increased digitalization. Most recently, the current Danish government has launched a Digitalization Strategy which includes new ambitious initiatives (12). Former Finance Minister, Nicolai Wammen, stated, “Digitalization can make us richer, raise the quality of public services, free up labour, and accelerate the green transition. We must speed up development and maintain our strong focus” (16). The strategy is a step in the right direction for capitalizing on Denmark’s unique position – if we manage to consolidate, finance, and realise the ambitions.

The time is now for positively influencing the digital future around the world. There are increasing concerns surrounding the digital space and there is great demand for timely solutions that respond to some of the most urgent matters. We have a planetary crisis, a mental health crisis, and a trust crisis. It is impossible for future technology to be developed without taking these crises into account. Denmark is in a unique position to undertake a global leadership role in developing a sustainable digital future. We have the opportunity to capitalize on our well-regarded reputation for green technology. The key will be to leverage existing collaboration between government and industry, enterprise and citizenry.