AUGMENTED ACCOUNTABILITY IN DIGITAL SERVICES: A PROPOSAL FOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR DECISIONS, DATA AND INTERACTIONS ON THE GOV.BR PLATFORM

Abstract

The digitalization of public services in Brazil has simplified procedures that previously required in-person interaction and has concentrated different service channels in integrated digital environments. This development, however, has also moved part of the decision-making process into technical flows that are less visible to users. On GOV.BR, access to a service may involve electronic authentication, database checking, operational parameters, administrative records and standardized system responses. This article proposes the notion of augmented accountability as an analytical category for examining responsibility in governmental digital services. The study is qualitative, exploratory and applied, based on bibliographic and documentary review. It argues that classical accountability, grounded in reporting, transparency, control and sanction, remains essential, but must be complemented by requirements associated with digital governance, including traceability, accessible explanation, human review, responsible data management and institutional learning. Its main contribution is a five-dimensional matrix: user-oriented information, decision trail, review channel, responsible data management and institutional consequence. The study concludes that GOV.BR can be examined not only as an access point for services, but as a public relationship environment in which efficiency, security and accountability need to be assessed together.