The Missing Link: Identifying Digital Intermediaries in E‐Government

Abstract

Digital platforms are transforming how governments deliver public services; however, many citizens still depend on third parties to access them. This article identifies and classifies these “digital intermediaries” drawing from a national survey in Chile—a country with high digitalization but deep digital inequality. We find two major types of intermediaries: “close” actors (family and peers) and “hierarchical” actors (politicians, bureaucrats, and community leaders). These intermediaries support citizens who lack digital skills or access, playing an essential role in facilitating e‐government. The findings challenge the notion that digitalization guarantees direct, unmediated access to public services and underscore the importance of considering human support systems in digital governance.