CITIZEN IN A DIGITALISED SOCIETY
The country I have chosen to examine is the United States of America, where I have previously lived. In the United States, social insurance is generally administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), which manages retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, and by Medicare (health insurance for people over 65 or with disabilities) and Medicaid (healthcare assistance for low income residents) in collaboration with state governments. US social services are organised across a number of different federal and state agencies. In contrast, in Finland, there is a single unified Kela system, which I find makes the process of navigating them less complicated than in the US.
On the digital side, I personally use the SSA’s online portal (ssa.gov) to check my earnings history, benefit estimates, and to take care of claims. In healthcare, I use Healthcare.gov as the primary online platform for accessing and enrolling in health insurance plans. I also use the apps and patient portals of private health insurance companies and hospitals to make appointments, access tests, and communicate with physicians directly.
Development Trends
I have seen that the US has made significant strides toward a more integrated digital health record. Telehealth services became ubiquitous during COVID-19 and are continuing to be adopted, as is the use of mobile apps for both insurance and health management. However, unlike Finland’s centralised Kanta system, I find that US health data remains siloed among a panoply of private providers, which poses interoperability challenges, since the medical records of one hospital are not automatically available to another.
Pros and Cons of Digital Health/Social Services in the USA
On a brighter note, I have found that the use of digital tools has greatly simplified the process of making appointments, refilling prescriptions, consulting in telehealth, and even monitoring insurance claims without the need for lengthy phone calls or in person visits. I also have much greater access to my health information through apps and online portals, compared to the past.
On the downside, I recognise that not everyone can access the digital world equally, and the multi payer system may be confusing and exclusionary because it can be costly. I find insurance can be complicated, especially with different platforms available by different payers. In contrast to a national system such as Kela, I have no one place to control all my health and social benefits online.
Comparing Digital Shopping: Amazon
To evaluate digital shopping platforms, I searched for a book on Amazon, “The Summer Guests” by Tess Gerritsen. The paperback was listed at $9.35 and the hardcover at $10.19, with a Kindle e-book version available free through Kindle Unlimited or for $4.99 to buy outright. The listing included a detailed description, an author bio, format options, and a strong trust signal: a 4.5-star rating from 41,587 reviews.
Comparing this to a local bookstore, the same paperback would typically cost more, often $14-18 at a physical bookshop, without the discount options Amazon offers (in this case a 71% discount on the e-book). Local stores can’t usually show tens of thousands of customer reviews either, so while a bookseller might personally recommend a book, Amazon lets you see aggregated opinions from a huge number of real readers before buying.
In terms of information adequacy, Amazon was very thorough, cover images, page count, publisher, format comparisons, and reader ratings were all visible before purchase. The high review count and consistent rating made the listing feel reliable and trustworthy, and the option to “Read sample” before buying reduces the risk of an unsatisfying purchase. Overall, for standardised products like books, online shopping platforms like Amazon offer better pricing, more information, and stronger buyer confidence than most local alternatives, though they can’t replace the personal browsing experience of a physical bookshop.
One Service From My Field: MyFitnessPal
I chose MyFitnessPal as a digital service relevant to my field, since it sits directly at the intersection of health and sports. The app is built around nutrition tracking, users log meals, track calories and macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein), and monitor progress over time. Its homepage highlights user testimonials from people using it for weight loss, muscle gain, and general wellness, which shows how broadly it’s used across different health and fitness goals.
I chose this app because nutrition tracking is directly relevant to both clinical health settings (helping clients manage weight-related conditions) and sports/coaching contexts (helping athletes optimise their diet for performance). From a user experience perspective, the app makes logging food fast through a searchable database and barcode scanning, and it visually presents progress, which can be motivating.The main strength is how it turns something abstract, nutrition, into concrete, trackable data, similar to how wearables track physical activity. A limitation, though, is that self-reported logging can be inaccurate or become an unhealthy obsession for some users if not guided by a professional, which is an important consideration for anyone recommending this kind of tool in a care or coaching setting.
Digitalisation and the Digital Gap.
Digitalisation offers great opportunities, such as faster access to services, more information, and convenience, but also risks for those who are not or cannot use digital/virtual services. It is sometimes referred to as the “digital gap” or the “digital divide.
The most vulnerable individuals are usually the old, people with low incomes, those living in rural areas that do not have a strong network of internet services, and those with disabilities and/or reduced ability to use digital technology. This is very important in my line of work, at least, where if these things are completely digital, people who do not have a smartphone, internet access, or the confidence to use these completely digital systems can be effectively excluded, and they need to use them.
The risks are more than just inconveniences. A person who doesn’t have an online health portal may not receive critical test results or prescription reminders. A senior who is not tech-savvy or knows how to use computer banking or benefit applications may find it difficult to get the financial assistance they are entitled to. This can amplify pre-existing inequities because the individuals who are already disadvantaged in one way or another, in terms of finance, geographical location, or education, will likely be the same people who are missing out on digital-only services.
To close this divide, it is important to ensure that all essential services always have an alternative that is not dependent on digitalisation, including phone support, help desks at which people meet face to face, and some easier-to-use interfaces, so that digitalisation will make services more accessible for the majority but not for the most vulnerable.
My Digital Competence Test Results
I completed the Digital Competence Wheel test and scored 92% overall, placing me at “Level 8 (highly specialised)”, the highest level, meaning I can identify appropriate solutions even for complex digital problems and can adapt and integrate new digital processes into professional practice. My three strongest areas were Collaboration (100%), Critical Evaluation (98%), and Social Awareness (98%), all closely tied to communication and teamwork skills I use regularly. My lowest-scoring areas were Self-Service (76%), Active Participation (78%), and Production and Sharing (86%), suggesting room to grow in proactively using online self-service tools and creating/sharing my own digital content like blogs, videos, or graphics.
Self-Reflection
Completing the DIGI CITIZEN assignments taught me how much digital infrastructure already shapes everyday life, from social insurance and healthcare access to online shopping and professional tools. I learned that even in a highly digitalised country like Finland, the risk of a “digital gap” remains real for people without access, skills, or confidence to use these services, which is directly relevant to my future work in social services and health. The Digital Competence Test was a useful reality check: despite feeling confident with technology, it showed me specific areas, especially self-service tools and actively creating digital content, where I can still improve. Going forward, I want to become more proactive in using online self-service platforms myself and more comfortable producing my own digital content, since these are skills I will likely need to model for clients in a professional setting.
Blogs commented on:
Patricia Aghangu-Atem
https://blogi.savonia.fi/patriciaaghanguatem/
Bluestream Blog
https://blogi.savonia.fi/bluestream/
Britt’s eOffice
https://blogi.savonia.fi/brittbarendsonjoras/
