DIGI CITIZEN
Digital services supporting everyday life – experiences with Kela, OmaKanta, and Keva
Digitalization is most visible in everyday life in because how easy it is to take care of many basic things nowadays. In our family, Kela and OmaKanta have become familiar services that I use regularly. Keva is not as well-known a digital service.
Kela, or the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, has been a great source of support since we had children and when I became unable to work. I receive child benefit for two minor children, and since my son became ill, I have applied for and received various benefits, including disability allowance for children under 16. It has been easy to submit applications on the OmaKela website, where it is now also easy to send attachments, even photos taken with a phone or screenshots. Decisions can also be found in the same place. I can easily log in to the site with my own credentials and smoothly with the help of another person.
Another useful service has been the European Health Insurance Card, which has actually been very timely, as I ordered one for myself and my children. We took the card with us on a trip abroad, and it provided additional security even though we had travel insurance.
OmaKanta is a service I use regularly. After logging in securely, I can check my own and my children’s laboratory results, vaccinations, and treatment records. When i was working on this assignment, i noticed that there is an app for Oma Kanta, which i plan to download next. My children occasionally visit the dentist on their own, for example, so i can use OmaKanta to see what was done during the visit and any instructions for follow-up care. It is also quick and easy to renew prescriptions. It is also easy to do things on behalf of another person, and fortunately, this right applies until the age of 18. In the future, I may also need to use OmaKanta on behalf of my parents and aging relatives, which will be possible after obtaining authorization from Suomi.fi.
Keva is Finland’s largest pension insurer, providing pension security for public sector employees and pension matters for pensioners. Keva’s pension calculator makes the future concrete. When I checked my own pension figures, my lowest retirement age is 66. If I had to retire at 63, there would be a huge difference compared to retiring at 68, and a difference of up to 2,000 euros if I could continue working until I was 70 years old. The figures made me think about the length of my working career, which still seems very long. Hopefully, my health will allow me to work for a long time to come.
The role of the consumer
Nowadays, digital stores and services are a big and essential part of everyday life. Of the digital stores mentioned, I have only used Booking.com to search for and book accommodation, which I have found to be a reliable site with slightly lower prices. However, you have to be careful, for example, if you choose not to have breakfast, the price may be the same as if you booked directly with the hotel chain.
I visited international online stores, Amazon and eBay, for the first time. I searched for the Freeclip headphones my children wanted and compared the prices of the products to Finnish stores such as Elisa, Gigantti, and the online store Verkkokauppa.com. These sites seem clear, safe, and familiar to use. The Amazon site was more difficult to use and only offered many pages of headphone accessories. I liked eBay better; it was clearer and sounded more familiar. If I did my research correctly during the busy Christmas shopping season, the cheapest freeclip headphones are currently available in Finland from Elisa, with the product available for delivery to the store. It may be that prices in online stores abroad are lower, but shipping costs and customs duties can often increase the final price. I am wary of ordering from abroad because I am concerned about the reliability of the websites, the authenticity of the products, and the difficulty of returning items. Digital platforms also offer a wealth of information, but consumers need to be able to assess the reliability of reviews and the “small print” in the terms and conditions, for example. Trust is largely based on previous experiences. The security of payment methods is also a concern, especially with all the talk about credit card theft and dishonest online stores. These days, I try to favor brick-and-mortar stores in my small hometown, especially Finnish ones, so that people don’t lose their jobs.
I chose the Terveyskylä website as a digital service in healtcare. Of course, nothing is sold there, but I don’t sell anything in my work either. Terveyskylä provides reliable health information and guidance produced by healthcare experts, easily accessible at any time. The website also offers digital care pathways, as well as support and guidance for self-care, for example through coaching. You can log in to the site securely with your own bank ID or other authenticators. You can also use the site without logging in. The service shows that digital solutions can promote equality in healthcare when high-quality information is available to everyone at no cost.
Digitalization and the digital divide
Although digital services make everyday life easier for many people, they also create new forms of inequality. The digital divide particularly affects older people, those in a weaker socioeconomic position, and those who lack sufficient digital skills or, in particular, devices.
Those who do not use digital services are at risk of exclusion and, for example, of not being able to access health services or care as quickly. Access to services deteriorates, access to information becomes more difficult, and opportunities to influence one’s own life are reduced. In addition, the digitization of health services and government services, for example, may increase dependence on other people, which weakens individual autonomy.
Digital Competence Results
Information 57%; Ability to identify, locate, retrieve, store, organize, and analyze digital information and evaluate relevance and purpose.
Communication 48%; Ability to communicate, collaborate, interact with, and participate in virtual teams and networks, as well as make use of appropriate media, tone, and behavior.
Safety 48%; Ability to use digital technology safely and sustainably in relation to data and work injuries and to pay attention to legal consequences and duties.
Production 35%; Ability to create, configure, and edit digital content, solve digital problems, and explore new ways to take advantage of technology.
Self-reflection—what did I learn from these assignments?
Through these tasks, I have stopped to reflect on my own role as a digital citizen. I have learned that many of the digital skills that I take for granted are in fact learned, and although I have developed in their use, they need to be constantly updated. Digital reading skills and critical thinking were particularly important in the use of online stores and healthcare services.
I understand that digitalization is not easy for everyone. In fact, it is not always easy for me either. I can manage the necessary digital tasks, but if it requires any more complex skills, I easily give up, partly because I am not that interested in it. I have also noticed that my vision is easily become blurred and my neck, shoulder, and arm pain increases with continuous use of smart devices.
In the digital skills test, I did not score highly in any area, which means that my digital skills are not extensive or strong in any area. The digital divide is not just a technical problem; it is also linked to inclusion, equality, and human dignity. The digital citizen mindset requires empathy and responsibility: the ability to see those who are left behind by development.
Overall, these tasks reinforced my view that digital citizenship is active and conscious behavior. It is not just about using services, but about continuous learning, making choices, and taking responsibility—for oneself, others, and society.
I commented on the following blog posts
https://blogi.savonia.fi/vaisanensanna/digi-citizen/
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