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UAE tops global rankings in Internet, social media usage

Dubai - Minister reveals details of the National Digital Wellbeing Policy on Monday.

The UAE has topped the global rankings in the digital wellbeing indicators with 99 per cent of its population using the Internet and social media communication, said Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, on Monday.

The minister also revealed details of the National Digital Wellbeing Policy, approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at the Cabinet’s session last week.

She noted that the ultimate goal of the policy is to ensure the digital wellbeing of citizens, maintain a balance between digital and real-life and raise awareness about the use of technology.

“The overarching goal of the policy is to create a safe digital society in the UAE, and to promote a positive identity with meaningful digital interaction,” said Hessa.

The minister explained how in the post-Covid world, the development of digital wellbeing has grown in areas that require interaction with the digital world such as distance learning requirements, digital learning, digital research and curriculum, working remotely, smart services and communication platforms, chatting, visual and audio sharing, entertainment, electronic games, short films and online shopping.

She highlighted the initiatives that stemmed from the four pillars of the policy — capabilities, behaviour, content and communication — aimed at achieving safe, secure and positive wellbeing of the society.

Some of the initiatives include embracing digital citizenship and wellbeing in school curriculums, embedding digital wellbeing ambassadors in schools, awareness videos to teach senior citizens the basics of using modern technologies and keep up with the latest and organising vocational courses on use of technology for the youth.

“The Knowledge Platform for Digital Wellbeing (www.digitalwellbeing.ae) is an interactive and integrated portal that includes awareness content to build the digital capacity of community members especially students, parents and teachers, as well as people of determination and senior citizens.”

During the briefing, Hessa discussed the objectives and themes of the digital wellbeing policy that included: developing a healthy relationship with technology, interacting with the digital world in a balanced and sound way, raising awareness of potential risks and ways to protect them.

Some more initiatives that will be covered under the four pillars of the policy, she said, are inculcating ethics and values based on the culture and positive values of the such as Emirati legacy, digital reputation, respecting others, positive investment, kindness, digital privacy, credibility, responsibility and regulations, guide to identifying and managing electronic bullying.

Four pillars of the National Digital Wellbeing Policy

1 Digital capabilities: Represents awareness, education and raising the level of digital knowledge for different groups of society, including children, adolescents, youth and senior citizens.

2 Digital behaviour: Consolidating positive digital values and behaviours in all social media platforms and coexisting with all virtual societies.

3 Digital content: Meant to guide the community to use the digital content positively to reduce exposure to harmful or hateful content through legislation or technological means.

4 Digital communication: Create awareness by developing and creating legislations that are commensurate with the changes in the digital world to protect users from potential digital risks.

RESULTS OF NATIONAL WELLBEING SURVEY 2020

56% children use digital devices to watch videos

50% of them use these devices to play electronic games

45% parents talk to their children about the negative effects of excessive use of digital devices

33% check the content of devices such as visited sites, downloaded applications and exchanged messages

saman@khaleejtimes.com