What does it mean to be born digital?\u00a0 Maybe it is a question you never considered before.\u00a0 To be born digital means to be a part of the “digital haves” and to have the ability to actively engage in technology that will continue to shape the very future of human civilization.\u00a0 Those of you who are reading this blog are a part of the “Digital Generation,”\u00a0 the generation whose lives were profoundly shaped by technology and continue to be shaped by technology.\u00a0 Whether we realize it or not, the very world in which we live is being shaped by “Digital Natives,” people born after 1980 who grew up using technology and who have shaped the direction and impact that technology plays in our everyday lives. \u00a0 I, myself, am a “digital native” and find it difficult to imagine a world without technology in it and feel that technology affects nearly every aspect of my daily life.<\/p>\n
Not everyone in this world is born or becomes a “digital native.”\u00a0 There still exists a digital divide between the digital-haves and the digital have-nots.\u00a0 Only around 1 billion out of the 6 billion people in the world have access to digital technologies (Palfrey & Gassner, 2008).\u00a0 It is this group of people (“Digital Natives”) that is shaping our day-to-day lives and is determining how civilization will advance as a whole.\u00a0 Advancements in technology have led to the creation of new knowledge. \u00a0 It is amazing how technology in its various forms has improved all of our lives in some way over the years.<\/p>\n
Are our lives shaped daily by technology, the “digitization” factor?\u00a0 Can you think back to a time in your life where technology played a less prominent role than it does today?\u00a0 Would you refer to those moments of your life as the “dark ages?”\u00a0 Certainly, a “digital native” would not be able to recall many moments where their lives weren’t shaped by technology.<\/p>\n
The use of technology continues to shape our lives, yet there are many issues that arise from the use of it.\u00a0 Among the issues are: security, privacy, identity, piracy, and information overload.\u00a0 As we progress in the 21st century, it is important to consider the role that technology will play in our lives.\u00a0 Will we be overly reliant on it or be more moderate in our use of it?\u00a0 Only time will tell how my generation and prior ones will continue to be impacted by technology.<\/p>\n