A greater option to strategy that is to shift the onus to establishments, together with banks, which might be making an attempt to digitalise, mentioned Asst Prof Ang.
These establishments ought to bear the duty of minimising the burden that they impose on their most susceptible customers when implementing digital instruments, whether or not it has to do with design, accessibility, price, privateness, or the necessity to re-learn processes, he added.
“There should be mechanisms to implement, compel, or incentivise establishments to be inclusive of their efforts to digitalise — establishments particularly very important ones coping with banking, well being, and housing shouldn’t be capable of get away with reaping the advantages of digitalisation whereas passing on the prices to susceptible teams,” he mentioned.
“At a minimal, this is able to imply guaranteeing correct pre-implementation analysis is completed to see how particular digital instruments could assist or hinder older adults of their on a regular basis lives. We appear to do that for the setting, why not for folks as nicely?”
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
The digital divide — which has left many seniors getting the brief finish of the stick — has lengthy been a topic of nationwide concern.
In 2020, then-Nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Anthea Ong mentioned in an adjournment movement speech that there’s an pressing precedence to shut this divide as extra must be finished to assist “digital outcasts”, equivalent to seniors and other people with disabilities.
In response to Ms Ong’s speech, then-Minister for Communications and Data S Iswaran confused that digital inclusion has been “on the coronary heart of the Authorities’s nationwide digitalisation effort”.
Mr Iswaran mentioned digital readiness isn’t just about {hardware} and connectivity, but in addition concerning the literacy and expertise to derive its full profit.
That’s the reason the Authorities has rolled out initiatives such because the Silver Infocomm Initiative, launched again in 2007, which gives a spread of programmes for seniors at completely different ranges of digital expertise and in vernacular languages to fulfill their wants.
On Friday (Jan 20), Minister for Communications and Data Josephine Teo informed reporters that the Authorities is taking a look at methods to boost digital inclusion and is within the technique of consulting stakeholders.
“It will, after all, embody teams that work with completely different communities on the bottom in order that we get a greater sense of what extra we will do to strengthen digital inclusion,” she mentioned in Davos the place she was attending the World Financial Discussion board.
She reiterated {that a} precedence of the Authorities is on constructing expertise and capabilities so that individuals can get one of the best out of their digital engagements.
“It is how folks can navigate the digital world with a way of confidence. And confidence comes from expertise,” she mentioned.
“How can we construct this up and achieve this in a fashion that does not rely solely on the general public sector’s efforts?”