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The government recently proclaimed the British public sector was leading Europe in its use of the internet. But while rolling out ‘e-Government’ may be a central plank of policy, the vast majority of people these innovations are intended to help are either unable or unwilling to make use of them.

Concern about a ‘digital divide’ in which 33% of the UK population has no access to the internet is widely expressed but the debate is too narrowly focused. The divide actually encompasses many more millions of people – affluent, educated individuals who are using the internet frequently and effortlessly every day of their lives.

The problem is that these ‘Adaptive Immigrants’, who account for 68% of the population, interact with technology in a very different way than many policymakers appreciate.

Typically they go online to complete specific tasks, such as shopping or banking, then log off. Only 35% would think about sharing content and one-in-five engage in social networking. The vast majority of new web-based services that have developed in the last five years are of little or no interest to them, in sharp contrast to the younger generation who are immersed in the technology.

Adaptive Immigrants are excited by the benefits the web has delivered in terms of speed and convenience. However, at the same time as saying websites have simplified decision-making they complain of a confusing array of choice and are constantly worried about the security of their personal details. Both of these factors restrict the amount of information they are prepared to share and activities they are willing to undertake online.

They also place a much higher emphasis on customer service, price and quality than the younger generation and are reluctant to trust providers of services online unless they are established names.

The challenge for governments, therefore, is to balance technological innovation with face-to-face and telephone customer service, which is still highly valued by all but the very young. When dealing with Adaptive Immigrants, ie the bulk of taxpayers, the reality is that e-Government initiatives cannot actually be delivered entirely online.