Digital - "Hessen flop": FDP digital expert criticizes Hessen app
The FDP state faction criticizes the Hessen-App developed by the state as an expensive "Hessen-Flop". The state government spent nearly 1.2 million Euros just for its development, not including operating and support costs, according to digital politics spokesperson Oliver Stirbeck in Wiesbaden. "That's a lot of money – especially considering that barely 0.2% of Hessian women and men use the app." Hessen doesn't need a PR app, but one that integrates all services without interfaces, he explained.
The Hessen-App was developed on behalf of the Digital Ministry by the Hessian Central Data Processing Center, the IT service provider of the state administration. It went live at the beginning of 2023. The app is currently still in a "quiet" productive operation and is not actively promoted, a ministry spokesperson revealed. By the end of June, 1,000 downloads had been registered on Android devices and over 11,000 downloads on Apple devices.
With the app, users can use administrative services of the federal government, the state, and the municipalities from mobile devices. "For example, all Hessian women and men can submit their application for child benefit flexibly with the app or apply for Bafög [federal educational assistance]," the spokesperson explained. The legally secure identification of the applicant is done with a chip in the identity card. Users can also electronically present their IDs using this function.
Additionally, in the "News from Hessen" section, there are news from the digital information service of the state government (hessen.de). Users can also inform themselves about offers from authorities on various topics and life situations such as retirement provision and building.
Despite the FDP's criticism of the Hessen-App as an expensive misstep, some individuals in Wiesbaden and beyond have found utility in the social affairs tool. For instance, users can now easily submit applications for child benefit or Bafög using their cell phones, leveraging the app's secure chip-based identification system.
