DIGI CITIZEN

Reviewing personal information in online services

I first visited the Kela website and checked my personal information. I personally use Kela’s services only a few times a year, mainly when I pay the healthcare fee for higher education students through their website. Kela’s services are more widely used in my family. My parents are already retired and receive an old-age pension through Kela. My siblings have children, so they receive child benefits, and my sister is currently on parental leave, which means she also receives parental allowance from Kela.

I found Kela’s website easy to use. Viewing personal information required strong identification with online banking credentials, which added a sense of security to the service. I have had a European Health Insurance Card for years and have received a new one automatically when the old one has expired. However, I went to check on the Kela website how the card is actually ordered and I easily found the right information. It is a positive thing that Kela’s website is accessible for different user groups. The pages can be viewed in plain language and sign language, which improves clarity. In addition, the website content is available in various languages for example, Finnish, English, Swedish, and Sámi.

I haven’t visited MyKanta Pages very often before, but this time I checked my own health records there. The website was clear and the information was easy to access after strong identification. It was also possible to filter the data by time period, diagnosis/visit reason or topic, which made it easier to review the information.

Following the instructions I also visited Keva’s website and tried to see how much pension I would receive if I retired at the age of 63 or 68. I noticed that the pension calculator didn’t allow calculations for any year earlier than 2060, so I couldn’t check the pension amount for retirement at age 63. I was able to calculate the pension if I retired at age 68. The result was surprisingly low, which caught my attention. Later I noticed that the calculator was also based on the average income from the past 12 months. This affected the pension amount because I have been on study leave for several months during the past year, which has lowered my income. After that, I tried entering my own estimate of future income into the calculator, and it showed higher amounts. However, I have to admit that even then, the estimated pension amount seems small compared to my current monthly salary.

Comparing prices and products on different websites

I reviewed hotels in Kuopio on Booking.com and Trivago.fi. I selected the same hotel and the same room and both sites showed exactly the same price 140 euros. Eventually, when I proceeded to the booking stage, I ended up on the hotels.com site through both platforms, where the actual booking would take place. I think it’s convenient for hotels.com when the services of their partner hotels are advertised on multiple sites, as it increases the chances of reaching people compared to if the information was only available in one place. I also visited the hotel’s own website and noticed that the same room for the same date cost 126 euros there. So by putting in a bit more effort I could have saved a few euros. In the future, it’s definitely worth checking carefully where you can get the best price.

As a second example I looked into the price difference for a Marimekko bath towel on Amazon and in a Marimekko store. On Amazon the towel cost 62 euros plus shipping. From a Marimekko brick-and-mortar store the towel cost 52 euros, or from their online store, where shipping would also be added. However, buying from the original store would have been cheaper. What surprised me was that Amazon had longer descriptions about the towel. Of course, the most important information was also found on Marimekko’s own site. I wonder where Amazon got their text? The key details like the towel’s size and material were correct. On Amazon, products are also sold by other sellers besides Amazon itself. In my opinion, it adds to the trustworthiness if the product is sold directly by Amazon.

eBay is more of a marketplace than an online store. There are many different sellers and eBay itself doesn’t really sell anything. The sellers are private individuals or companies. Having many sellers doesn’t automatically mean they’re unreliable. Personally, I would look into the seller’s background and read the reviews they have received. On eBay, I noticed that for example, Marimekko products were very expensive and there wasn’t much detailed information written about them.

Looking at different online stores was interesting. When I was younger, I used to buy clothes from online shops, but not from eBay or Amazon. Nowadays, I buy products online if the same items are not available in my city. These days I focus more on the quality and durability of products and prefer items made nearby, often Finnish products. I think it’s easier to go to a store, try on clothes, or see the products in real life. That way, I can decide right away if I want to buy them. Ordering products is relatively easy nowadays, but returning unsuitable items is always a hassle.

Lukulumo book service

For this task focusing on an application related to my field, Edlevo would have been a fitting choice, but since I already covered that app in a previous assignment, I decided this time to choose the Lukulumo book service. I chose Lukulumo because I want to present an application that is used concretely in early childhood education with a group of children. As the name suggests, Lukulumo is a book service that offers hundreds of different picture books read aloud in various languages. In our preschool group, we have used Lukulumo frequently during rest times, as the older children love listening to stories either recorded or read aloud. Listening to stories helps children expand their vocabulary and develop their listening and storytelling skills. It also provides a way to practice concentration through listening to books. A few children have even used the app in the evenings to listen to books in their own native language. We use Lukulumo on tablets and it is available in every child group in the daycare. The app can also be used on a phone or computer. The application itself is easy to use and it offers books that are suitable for different ages and developmental stages. Sometimes we have also selected books according to a certain theme, which is also reflected in other preschool activities. Lukulumo costs just under 100 euros per year if it is used in a daycare with 51–100 children.

The risks and challenges of digitalization for people who don’t use online services. Are there any?

Yes, there definitely are challenges and risks! If we think about people who are not used to digital services, for example due to their old age or challenges in functioning. Today, many social and health services have moved to digital platforms, which creates difficulties for those who, for one reason or another cannot or do not know how to use electronic services. In these situations appointments can often still be made by phone, but this means being prepared to wait for your turn. Are the services then equally accessible? This also puts more strain on employees, as digital booking does not require staff involvement.

The same goes for tax matters, dealing with Kela, and banking. These are nowadays mostly handled online. Of course, it is still possible today to handle these matters in person. I do think that people who don’t use digital services are, in some way, inevitably excluded from the full scope of society’s services and become more dependent on others. This, in turn, can lead to social exclusion or difficulties in accessing services. That’s why it’s important that in the future, non-digital options for handling matters are also available. A lot of information is also shared through the internet, which can cause limitations in access to information for those who are not online.

Some online services have taken into account different kinds of users and the accessibility of services. Many websites can be translated into several different languages. Easy-to-read language can be used on websites, which helps users who have weaker language or reading skills. In Finland, there is some digital support available, where people can get more personalized guidance on how to use online services. In the Kuopio area, I found instructions and digital support from the following places: Pohjois-Savo Wellbeing Services County (instructions and support for using digital services), Lumikello Ry (especially helps Russian-speaking residents of Kuopio to increase awareness about digitalization and electronic services), Savonetti (free digital support for the elderly), and during summer at Kuopio Market Square is a Netinturva, where free help is provided for basic digital skills or problems with using a phone.

Self-assessment

This task made me reflect on how much the availability of services depends on whether a person uses digital services or not. Even though using digital services feels natural and easy for me, it is not the same for everyone. While doing this task, it was nice to see that some service providers had made their websites easier to use. For example, they offered the site in different languages, in plain language and even with sign language. Still, for some people, this is not enough. There are people who for many reasons do not have the ability or the desire to use digital services.

The digital competence test was an interesting. The test helped me to understand my strengths and areas for improvement in the field of digital skills. I got the highest percentages in the areas of information and safety, which was partly expected. I got the lowest percentage in the production area, which, on the other hand, was not a surprise. The test showed that I am at level 5, which means I am able to perform a variety of tasks and also guide others in doing them. I also have the ability to solve some problems independently.

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