We use different services daily in our life. In old times we went physically somewhere to get these services but digitalization has changed our lifes. Most services also from public sector are now prefered to handle online. Booking trip, buying clothes, ….well almost everything can found from online. Being good digital citizen means that individual is able to function safely in digital world, ablitity to participate to matters they feel important, take part to society matters, taking responsibility of their own actions. In the future, digital skills will increasingly become a civic skill required of everyone. Here is few examples of digital services.
KELA
We have great social security system in Finland. Most known is KELA, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, that implements the Finnish social security system. It provides sufficient livehood in many different situations. There are also other social security providers like municipalities, unemployment funds, pension institutes and other insurance institutions.
I have used several services from KELA during my lifetime. At the moment I get child benefit once a month. This money is ment for taking care of the child. I also get reimbursement for medicine expenses. Here is few examples what sevices or benefits I have used from KELA in the past when I was student I got some student financial aid and housing benefit, later when my child was small maternity grant &parental allowance, child care allowance.
I am very familier with KELA´s services also because of my work, I have power of attorney for dozens of people, in order to be able to help them with KELA matters. KELA has e-service possibility but not everyone has access there, you need to be able to strongle verify your identity to use this. Gladly most of us can use this without any problems.
OmaKanta / MyKanta
MyKanta is online service where you can view your own healthcare information, it is used by public and private healthcare services. Also this requires strong identificating in order to access to your files. I use it mainly if I need to check my health history, laboratory test results or renew prescriptions. Great thing about this is that different healthcare centers can see each others marks of my health situation, although person has to give permission for this first. This can be done in your own profile at any time. You can also do treatment will and organ donation will. I hope they will develop this page to be easier to view in the future, I mean now each time you or health care needs to check some medical background info they need to open each visit or note that has been made there separately in order to get full few of your situation.
Pension providers
Finnish earning-related pension system has many different providers. For example Keva is for people whos emolyer is from public sector and Ilmarinen for private sector provider. My pension provider is Ilmarinen. I checked that earliest age for me to retire is in age of 67 years and 2 months, which is 1.2.2051. We can increase our pension with work up to age 70, after this you won´t raise your pension even if you continue working. If I would work untill I am 70, instead of retiring in age 67 years and 2 months I would get 646€/month more pension. It was easy to login to your own information from Ilmarinen page, once again this needs strong identification.
Digital shops
There is all kind of digital shops like Shein, Zalando, eBay, Amazon, Booking.com, Trivago ..and this list is endless. I use this kind of shops specially when I am traveling. In beginning of this year I went for unplanned trip to Thailand for two weeks and traveled in several cities there. All bookings for place to stay was done by digital shops, I only stayed max 2 nights in same place. I also rented scooter, booked flights, ferry tickets, train tickets through these digital online shops. Last purchase I made from online was confirmation dress for my daughter few weeks ago. Nowadays you can order almost everything online. Often online shop has better deal then the local stores in my area. Ofcourse while buying online you can´t really test items before purchacing, but you can return them if it wasn´t what you expected. Many companies ask consumers to give feedback for items they have bought and for their company too, they even try to attract people to do so for example by promising discount or special gift to those who have left feedback. Companies know this is importan and valuable information that will effect to other potential buyers. Many of us give feedback by writing, with photos or even videos. Only time I have been tricked has happened when I purchased something or tried to purchase something from private person online. I usually use only reliable online shops that are well known or someone has recomend to me.
Digital service example from my work
I use EnterFinland page often at work, it is the Finnish Immigration Service´s online service. This helps me to keep track of residence permit processess that are important for us. Third countries employees, or job appliers whom we have chosen to work for us apply for residence permits via this page. For these applications also employer submits documents and can quickly reply to any additional information requests for immigration office if needed.
Digital gap
Digital gap or divide refers to the unequal access to digital technology and internet that leaves some of us behind. In Finland those who don´t use virtual services, concerns mainly these vulnerable groups, like elderly or disabled people, whos skills with technology may be weak or non excisting. Also immigrants who live in Finland don´t get strong identification as easily as native people, this increases risk of outcasting. Ofcourse there is always also people who don´t want to use these services. This leads to inequality, those with fewer resources are more likely to be excluted from opportunities to influence.
Digital divide has three primary effects lower quality of life, less succesful economy and lack of education. These effects are seen more in developing countries.
Self reflection
I estimate that I am very fluent digi citizen. This digital competence wheel gives glimpse of my digital competences. This online testing tool DCW has been developed by Center for Digital Dannelse .
I know I have still lot to learn on each competence areas, digital environment keeps changing. Gladly I feel learning new on these areas is fascinating and I am open to learn. I am not too familiar with things like creating web pages or understanding how all user tracking really happens and how to use this info in most efficient ways. This course has reminded me how important and useful this kind of know-how would be.
Digi Citizen posts that I commented