Access to social rights becomes a real headache for those who are not digitally savvy. In his investigations, Mickaël Le Mentec highlights the obstacles of dematerialization. Its experimental project aims to put people back at the heart of administrative procedures.
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Is administrative modernization, promised by the dematerialization of public services, leaving the most fragile behind? This is the clear observation of Mickaël Le Mentec, teacher-researcher at Rennes 2 University. As part of an ambitious project financed by the Interministerial Directorate for Public Transformation (DITP), this specialist in the digital divide strives to give voice to those we never hear. Verdict expected in 2026.
Since the 2000s, France has rapidly digitized a large part of its administrative services. If 90% of French people are Internet users today, a significant part of the population remains on the side of the road. Retirees, non-graduates, and precarious populations are the first victims, i.e. 13 million people in France affected by electronicism.
The figures are clear, if everyone has a smartphone and consults social networks or watches videos: 62% of non-Internet users encounter major difficulties in carrying out administrative procedures. Even among the connected, the lack of digital literacy remains a barrier. “It's not just a technical problem. Navigating sites that aren't always intuitive, understanding administrative jargon, it's beyond the skills of many”deplores Mickaël Le Mentec.
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For some, the digital divide begins well before the screen: it's a question of money. Paying for an Internet subscription or buying a computer is out of reach for already tight budgets. “Even if it’s thirty euros, in certain situations, it’s insurmountable”Nolwenn, a student in difficulty, told him.
Beyond the equipment, there is a whole system that dehumanizes access to rights. “Digital tools, supposed to simplify procedures, become additional obstacles”underlines the researcher. Non-recourse to social rights is reaching new heights: nearly 40% of eligible people give up due to the complexity of the procedures.
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With the gradual closure of physical counters, dematerialization increases isolation. In rural areas, where digital infrastructure is often deficient, the situation is dramatic. “Without an Internet connection or local public service, some residents accumulate disabilities”warns Mickaël Le Mentec.
Users of public services lost in the face of dematerialization. “I want to know why my allowance was taken away. It’s unbearable!”
However, users testify that the human presence remains essential. “As soon as a human is there to support, the process becomes less anxiety-inducing”told him social workers who act as relay, despite themselves, between public services and digital castaways.
Faced with these observations, Mickaël Le Mentec attempts to provide concrete answers. Funded by the DITP, he is participating in a project that explores local solutions: digital workshops in villages, social cafes, mutual aid spaces. Objectives: reach remote people, recreate connections and make the process accessible.
But the task is immense. “Public service interfaces are not sufficiently designed for populations in difficulty”analyzes the researcher. Rigid ergonomics, incomprehensible jargon, lack of knowledge of existing systems and social assistance: these obstacles transform the experience into an obstacle course.
At a time when digital transformation is accelerating, Mickaël Le Mentec hammers home a simple message: without human support, these tools will only serve to worsen inequalities.
The results of the study in which he is participating, expected in 2026, promise to enlighten decision-makers on these crucial issues. But until then, the most vulnerable will continue to face, alone, procedures which, instead of helping them, isolate them further.
“Replacing humans with digital technology may seem economical. In reality, it is expensive: in social exclusion, in non-recourse to rights”he concludes. A clear message for those who, in the name of modernity, risk forgetting the essential: humanity.
