Digital App Savings: Eliminating Physical Pop-Ups / Inheritance: Shunning the Unconnected
In the heart of Germany, the city of Magdeburg is increasingly relying on smartphone apps for everyday services, including public transport day tickets. However, this digital shift has raised concerns about the exclusion of certain groups, particularly the elderly, from accessing these services.
Rüdiger Erben, a member of the SPD faction in Saxony-Anhalt, has been vocal about the issue, advocating for the preservation of analog alternatives and the creation of alternative paths for the elderly. He also calls for more courses and training to enable everyone to use new technologies.
Recent developments, however, suggest that the state government is not keen on dictating to trading companies, aiming to avoid "bureaucracy." The state government's response has been criticized as being too short-sighted, as there are currently no specific legal regulations in Germany mandating that digital discount promotions be accessible without a smartphone.
The focus of Germany’s Digital Services Act primarily targets platform accountability and consumer protection against harmful content or misinformation, not inclusion of non-smartphone users in digital discounts. Similarly, the Online Access Act and other laws promote digital public administration services, highlighting digitization but not mandating offline or alternative access to digitally delivered promotions.
Data privacy laws, such as the GDPR, govern how personal information in digital billing or promotions must be handled, but do not regulate access modes for discounts. As such, there is no current legal requirement in Germany for making digital discount promotions accessible without smartphones, nor are there publicly known legislative proposals addressing this issue directly as of mid-2025.
The SPD parliamentary business manager in Saxony-Anhalt has submitted questions to both state and federal governments, urging them to present solutions and engage in dialogue with supermarket chains and providers. Rüdiger Erben demands consistent implementation of digital barrier-free access, believing that models that exclude many people, such as the exclusive app-based Magdeburg public transport day ticket, should be reconsidered.
The issue extends beyond smartphone apps and public transport, including digital government services and applications at authorities. As the digital shift continues, it is crucial that efforts are made to ensure that everyone, regardless of their digital literacy, can fully participate in this new landscape.
