The use of the Internet (and other information technology) among the general population has resulted in a rising level of comfort and familiarity with these technologies. Businesses such as retailers, banks, and investment companies have been shifting more of their operations online, seeking to meet customer demand while reducing costs. Many businesses offer customer services online (these electronic services are often called e-business), often 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The public sector has also embraced these technologies, although their adoption in the public sector often lags that of the private sector’s more aggressive e-businessadopters. Much like the case in the private sector, governments’ basic goals for such automation.