Migrants’ Trust, Equity, and Inclusion in Digital Public Services: A Focus on Information Access and Use

This study explores the challenges affecting migrants’ access to digital public information in Finland and how these challenges influence their inclusion, trust, and sense of belonging. Drawing on qualitative interviews with migrants from diverse backgrounds, the research identifies socio-cultural interconnected challenges, including language proficiency, digital literacy, information resources and channels, communication networks, system familiarity, and migrants’ perceptions and attitudes. These dimensions collectively shape how migrants engage with public services and navigate everyday life in their host society. A total of 10 Iranians from diverse backgrounds participated in semi-structured interviews to share their experiences with digital public services in Finland. The findings of this study portray information access as a socio-cultural process strongly influenced by institutional design, rather than simply a technical task for service providers. Digital service providers often create systems tailored to local users’ needs, which can make it challenging for migrants to access information. This reduces migrants’ trust in the ability of digital public service portals to meet their needs. The decline in migrants’ trust in these institutions’ equal access to information not only stems from their service provision but also diminishes their inclusiveness. This paper discusses how interconnected socio-cultural and technological elements shape this process. It emphasises the importance of the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging framework, proposing a more inclusive and equity-focused approach to digital public services to foster a sense of belonging for migrants. The study underscores the necessity of cross-sectoral strategies to ensure that migrants are not merely served, but meaningfully included.