Digi Citizen
Finnish digital health and services: Kela, OmaKanta and Keva
The KELA services I currently use are the student meal subsidy and the child benefit, both of which support everyday life in simple but meaningful ways. As an adult student, discounted lunches feel especially welcome—much better than during my previous degree, when I carried a paper meal subsidy card stamped by KELA. Now everything is handled digitally through a student app, which is easier and far more reliable. Before this assignment, I had never applied for a European Health Insurance Card, so the whole process was new to me. It turned out to be surprisingly quick, and having the card now gives me peace of mind when travelling in the EU, EEA, the UK or Switzerland. It really feels like an extra layer of safety for future trips.
Accessing my health records in OmaKanta was equally straightforward. I logged in with mobile banking credentials, and the service instantly showed my key health information. One feature I truly appreciate is the ability to check my child’s records as well—appointments, prescriptions and vaccinations become much easier to manage when everything is stored in one secure place. OmaKanta has become something I check regularly, and it still impresses me how seamlessly it combines data from different healthcare providers.
When it comes to pensions, Keva’s calculator gave me a small reality check. My earliest retirement age would be 67 years and 3 months, and the target age 69 and a half. Unlike previous generations, choosing 63 is not an option, and at work we often joke that those of us under 40 might never retire at all. Looking at the required number of working years, it sometimes feels uncomfortably true. It definitely makes me reflect on what kind of work I want to do during my most active years and how important it is to choose something that remains meaningful and sustainable for a long time.
Evaluating online shops: H&M and Trivago
For the online shopping part of the assignment, I looked at digital platforms I use frequently, including H&M and Trivago. Many international brands, like H&M, keep their prices almost identical online and in physical stores, so the main advantages of the online shop are convenience and selection. Ordering, logging in and paying feel secure, which is essential for a global company whose brand depends on customer trust. If something went wrong, I feel confident the situation would be handled properly.
Trivago, on the other hand, is a tool I rely on heavily when planning travel. It compares hotel prices from various sites and presents the best options clearly. From both a consumer and media perspective, it shows how digitalization has reshaped the travel industry. I rarely use traditional travel agencies anymore because digital platforms are faster, more transparent and usually cheaper. Of course, this is unfortunate for small, local businesses that can’t compete with such platforms, which is a reminder that digitalization always creates winners and losers. Still, local services have their place: if I’m booking a short spa trip from Joensuu to Tallinn, I might turn to local companies because they already know the routes and options. But even then, I would still contact them online – since I am definitely more of an email person than someone who enjoys making phone calls.
Canva – Digital application for easy graphic design
From my own field of media and communication, I chose to reflect on Canva. I don’t use it professionally, but many non-specialists rely on it to create quick social media graphics, presentations and other materials. Canva represents an ongoing shift toward accessible design tools that don’t require deep technical skills. In the past, tasks like these required professional software such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop (which I still use), and learning them took time. Canva lowers the barrier for producing visual content and has changed the workflow for many marketers and communication professionals.
Although undeniably convenient, tools like Canva, raise questions about the future of creative work when almost anyone can produce a decent-looking design with minimal effort. Perhaps my attitude is partly professional pride, but I understand why people love using it – especially when many clients won’t notice the difference. Still, I want to believe that human-made visuals and writing with real depth and a human voice will continue to be valued.
Digital “gappers” need help
Another important theme in this assignment was the digital gap. Even though digital services feel natural for people like me who use them daily, not everyone has the same opportunities. In my home region of North Karelia, many older residents and people living in rural areas do not have good internet access or the skills to manage digital services on their own. This creates real barriers, especially now that so many public and private services are available only online.
I work in a liberal adult education organisation, and we serve people of all ages. Because of this, we still send a printed brochure to every household in our region and offer customer service not only online, but also in person and by phone. Not all our customers can follow us digitally, and this reminds us that inclusivity must guide digital development. As individuals, we should support our own grandparents and parents with digital tools, but society also needs to provide education and alternatives for those who have no one to help them.
The digital competence test
The digital competence test reinforced many of these thoughts. It was eye-opening and quite easy to reflect on my own habits. Through my profession, I have become familiar with many of the areas in the test, and I approach digital tools from a media perspective almost automatically. At the same time, I noticed that I’m not naturally drawn to the security side of digital life, nor am I the type to get excited about comparing the latest phones—I usually prefer sticking with what already works. Still, I learn new applications quickly when I need them. My strongest area was “production and sharing,” and the description “highly specialised – able to adapt and integrate solutions into their professional practice” felt very accurate. It reminded me how deeply digital content creation is woven into my daily work. Perhaps I should start paying more attention to the safety aspect of the digital tools I use.
Self evaluating
Completing this assignment helped me see how deeply digital services are embedded in everyday life in Finland. I learned to look at familiar platforms with a more analytical mindset, instead of simply using them out of habit. It also reminded me that digitalization benefits someone like me because I have the skills and access to use these systems—but many people do not. Reflecting on the digital gap showed me that accessibility isn’t just a technical issue; it’s a social one. I also realised that my digital competence is closely tied to my profession: I adopt new creative tools quickly, but I sometimes ignore the security aspects. The assignment made me think more critically about how I use technology and how it affects different people. Overall, I now understand digital services and my own digital behaviour more thoughtfully and responsibly.
I commented these posts
1. https://blogi.savonia.fi/emminblogi/digi-citizen/
2. https://blogi.savonia.fi/johanna/digi-citizen/
3. https://blogi.savonia.fi/piret/digi-citizen/