The new generation is often described as “tech-savvy.” But what does it really mean?
In this article, I argue that this assumption is misleading and that the truth is more complex. I'll explore how the term “tech-savvy” can be defined, the challenges that Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) faces with digital literacy, and the importance to consider these nuances when designing learning experiences with new technologies.
Defining Tech-Savviness
First, let's clarify what we mean by "tech-savvy." This term typically alludes to either digital literacy or digital fluency, as defined here:
This article focuses on highlighting the misconception surrounding Gen Z’s digital literacy, encompassing digital fluency as an advanced facet of it.
Digital Consumption vs Digital Literacy
First of all, digital literacy assumes access to technology. Unfortunately, a non-negligible portion of the population, including Gen Z, still lacks access to essential devices, a point that I cover more in depth in the article “First, Accessibility.” This digital divide creates early challenges in acquiring the skills needed to navigate the digital world effectively and safely.
For those with access, becoming "tech-savvy" demands more than just spending endless hours on your phone or computer. Let’s have a look at how the OECD defined the different levels of skills when it comes to digital literacy:
According to this OECD report, in 2019, 67% of American adults lacked the skills needed for finding a job online, which involve advanced internet navigation, problem solving and critical understanding of information. On the other end, another study showed that 79% of Americans used social media this same year.
This overlap illustrates the disconnect between merely using digital tools and demonstrating digital literacy, which holds true for Gen Z.
Being Born with Technology vs Growing Up with Technology
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), like myself, grew up alongside the emergence of technology, gradually learning as computers, phones, and other devices evolved. This hands-on experience provided us with a deeper understanding of technology's progress and inner workings. In contrast, Gen Z has grown up with sophisticated tools and optimized user experiences, requiring minimal effort to grasp their functionality.
Our generation faced challenges like monitoring and maximizing internet usage, navigating complex software to download - illegal - content, and inventing text shortcuts to save characters out of necessity. While we aren't immune to online misinformation or scams, I believe these experiences helped us be more critical online, as well as more patient and resourceful when unexpected issues arise.
Conversely, Gen Z's expectations for seamless technology, along with a reduced exposure to some forms of productive struggles when using digital tools, creates an environment where learning the skills required to develop digital literacy doesn't naturally occur.
Creators vs Consumers
Gen Z is highly proficient with smartphones but often struggles with more traditional computing tasks. In my conversations with educators in higher education, many mentioned that their students were challenged with basic skills such as working with multiple browser windows or managing their emails.
This isn’t due to incapability but stems from their habit of using technology as consumers rather than creators. As a counterexample, many streamers on Twitch learned in depth how hardware and software work to produce great quality sound and image and leverage interactivity with their communities. They needed these skills and knowledge to create content. However, creators like them only represent a minor part of the population.
Consider the analogy between cars and digital tools: some build them, some are enthusiasts, but the vast majority uses them without understanding what’s under the hood. However, technology’s complexities and threats are far greater and much less apparent. Generative AI is a great example as only a few thousand people in the world truly understand how large language models and associated algorithms work, yet its impact and the associated risks are already immense.
Risks of Lack of Digital Literacy
Jobs
While digitalization currently impacts seniors the most, Gen Z will likely face substantial changes when entering the job market. Many existing jobs are already being influenced by AI. According to the Pew Research Center, 19% of US workers currently work in a positionin which the most important activities may be either replaced or assisted by AI. They are particularly represented in higher-paying fields.
The new generation will not only compete with AI but also with experienced professionals who can leverage new tools effectively. In order to succeed in white-collar jobs, they must proactively develop their technological skills. In fact, they can’t expect traditional schooling to provide them with the required knowledge, as technology is currently evolving faster than curriculums and educators’ training.
Bridging the gap between their general education and their self-acquired technological expertise will be crucial for their job market relevance. Unfortunately, this challenge may exacerbate existing equity gaps, as those with access to resources and support for informal and formal tech education will have be heavily advantaged. It will also create social and economical tension with new graduates struggling to find a job in adequacy with their degrees.
Online risks
Insufficient digital literacy also exposes Gen Z to online risks.
A2019 survey conducted by the Pew Research Centerfound that while most Americans can correctly answer questions about phishing scams (67 percent), website cookies (63 percent), and online advertising (59 percent), far fewer understood topics such as privacy policies (48 percent), website encryption security (30 percent), two-factor authentication (28 percent), and private browsing mode (24 percent).
The rise of generative AI amplifies these risks, as it allows for increasingly convincing manipulation of texts, images, sounds, and videos. Developing critical thinking and learning good practices to identify misinformation has become crucial, especially on social media.
Another risk is the proliferation of personal data online. Despite initiatives like the European Union's GDPR aimed at protecting users' data, new technologies have made it easier for malicious actors to exploit individuals through identity theft and other data-related schemes.
If you want to learn more about the risks associated with Generative AI, I recommend watching Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin's discussion on how AI will profoundly challenge our society as we know it.
Addiction and mental health
During adolescence, our brains are particularly susceptible to influences from our environment. This is when we actively build our understanding of the world and try to find our place in society. Unfortunately, this vulnerability also means that we are more prone to developing addictive behaviors, especially when tools are purposefully designed to exploit this vulnerability - e.g. social media, online games and e-commerce platforms.
Moreover, during this phase, we are more susceptible to being swayed by extreme content and loud voices online. At a time when we are still forming our identities and haven't fully developed our critical thinking skills, a lack of awareness about manipulation techniques and online biases can significantly impact our mental health. Cyberbullying, disinformation, and constant exposure to unrealistic portrayals of the world are some of the elements that can negatively affect mental health, leading to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
However, it's important to note that not all technology has a negative impact. Research on the psychological and emotional effects of digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic by Pierpaolo Limone and Giusi Antionia Toto8 suggests that "the increased usage of technology can have both positive and negative impacts on the mental development of adolescents and children, depending on how it's used." These findings emphasize the need for better education to help the new generation navigate the digital space productively and safely.
Education to Overcome these Challenges
Learning to Code
One potential solution to elevate digital literacy levels is introducing early coding education in schools, akin to learning other languages. While this can be part of the solution, it has its limitations.
Benefits
Limitations
While learning to code can be a valuable part of the solution, it's clear that it's not enough to increase digital literacy among the new generation.
Raising digital civilians
Beyond technical skills, the primary goal is to raise digital citizens who understand the complexities of technology and its role in society, empowering them to proactively mitigate its risks and leverage its opportunities.
In the same way that we need people to engage in various levels of politics to ensure representation, voice, and support for all, we need the new generation to actively participate in technology to control it rather than be controlled by it.
Here are a few ideas and initiatives that aim to push education in this direction:
According to a recent survey by the Institute of Education Sciences conducted in August 2022, 72% of public schools in the United States offer digital literacy training for their students, with 24% providing similar training for students' families. These statistics are promising, especially considering that the training is consistent across K12, with slightly higher participation in middle schools.
The content of these training programs is critical, but it's encouraging to see that dedicated hours are already allocated to digital literacy education. Additionally, this survey underscores the crucial role of families in enhancing children's digital literacy, a topic not covered in this article but that would deserve its own focus.
Some companies, especially those developing products for children, involve kids in the design of their solutions. The Cooney Center Sandbox from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop is an excellent example of an organization that promotes and supports co-creation with kids.
This not only benefits the companies by collecting and leveraging the voice of their actual users, children, but also offers participating children a unique opportunity to engage in the design process of digital solutions. It provides them with insights into decision-making, constraints, and how everyday tools and games are built.
By involving children in this way, they become more critical observers of their digital environment, questioning certain features and suggesting improvements, making them less susceptible to the traps discussed earlier in this article.
The new generation is deeply interested in significant and complex issues like climate change and social justice, and often inclined to conduct their own research. However, without digital literacy, it can be challenging to find reliable information or take meaningful actions on a larger scale.
There's an opportunity to leverage their passion for social impact by integrating solutions that offer guidance and training into the tools they already use. In essence, we can use technology to mitigate problems caused by technology.
For example, Renato Russo , a PhD student at Columbia Teachers College, is currently developing a conversational agent that employs generative AI to identify rhetorical strategies used to spread disinformation. This agent aims to educate learners about engaging critically with the content they consume and developing their critical thinking skills.
Bonus: If you want to know more about Renato Russo, I invite you to listen to my podcast “Wide Walls”, available shortly in all the main podcast platforms.
In conclusion, it is not only inaccurate to assume that Gen Z is inherently tech-savvy, but this assumption is also perilous as it undervalues the critical role of comprehensive digital literacy education. It is imperative that this new generation is equipped with the essential skills and encouraged to use technology as a tool for empowerment, rather than remaining vulnerable consumers in the face of our rapidly evolving digital landscape.
