(Above) Dear Sarawakians, do reflect on how you’ve been using technology, including the way you’ve been navigating the social media jungle.
As we celebrate Sarawak Day this July 22, and especially since the digital economy is going to play a much more important role in our lives, maybe it’s a good time for us to take a moment to reflect on the way we’ve been using technology.
Do we start our day scrolling through our social media feed? Do we use our smartphone when we drive, or when we’re having a meal with someone?
How do we usually respond to a news report or a viral post? Do we share it immediately? Do we react just after reading the headline? Do we reply harshly to a comment that angers us?
Where do we usually shop online? How much personal information have we shared? Do we scan our tech-devices regularly? Have we ever made a statement that could potentially harm others?
These questions are part and parcel of ‘digital citizenship’ — a concept defined by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority as ‘an acceptance and upholding of the norms of appropriate, responsible behaviour with regard to the use of digital technologies’.
It comprises various themes that we’ve touched upon in this column before, such as digital literacy, digital etiquette, security and privacy, digital footprint, and creative credit and copyright.
Essentially, as digital citizens, we need to have the knowledge and skills to use technology positively and effectively, without taking advantage of other users and being detrimental to ourselves.
Digital citizenship is particularly crucial in today’s world where more and more of us are using technology for work, learning, entertainment, shopping, social interactions and other purposes that enable us to connect with others worldwide.
As Sarawakians, by combining our technical know-how in technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and ‘Big Data’ with our in-depth understanding on digital citizenship, we will have an all-encompassing capability to help drive Sarawak forward.
After all, as our Chief Minister expressed during his opening remarks at this year’s International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS), it is through our support together with the government’s digital economy strategies that we can eventually be as advanced as developed nations.
Thus, to answer the questions we asked earlier — let’s not welcome each new day by going straight to our mobile devices, and especially not while driving or when we’re spending time with others.
Let’s make it our responsibility to verify the authenticity of news reports and viral posts before sharing them; let’s commit to reading the entire article for context before responding to it; and either reply to a comment politely or don’t reply at all if you’re dealing with online trolls.
Also, shop at legitimate websites; share as little personal information as possible; scan your devices at least once a week; and treat others online as you’d like to be treated in real life.
Finally, Happy Sarawak Day to all our fellow Sarawakians!
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2y1jMm7