Article by our Digital Learning and Youth Leadership Program Lead, Hamza Arsbi

Tech Tribes has always been an advocate for bridging the divide in skills between what the market demands and what the educational systems are currently providing. As the organization has been at the forefront of Digital Literacy and skills development, it is driven by the belief that increasing access to these resources is key to the development of marginalized communities across the globe.

With the abundance of opportunity and promise that technology and the digital age bring, the dangers of these uncharted territories cannot be understated. Tech Tribes is constantly looking to ensure the safety of digital learners and their communities as they develop their skills and dive deeper into the interconnected world of the internet. This is why the Tech Tribes team is always on the lookout for great resources covering digital security, privacy, and media literacy.

The Challenges of the Digital Age

As more people join online platforms and begin to access resources from across the globe, the risks of exposure to privacy breaches, security threats, and even misinformation, increase. The lack of awareness of how the information people share online is used, monetized, and targeted, plays a large role in their vulnerability to attack. 

My Tech Decisions states that around 21% of internet users are victims of hacking while 11% suffer from Data theft. These dangerous attacks can cause harm from leaking private information to unlawful access to a person’s financials. Dangers that demonstrate a need for digital literacy programs. 

According to the Information Security Forum (ISF), the major threats identified for 2021 are Cybercrime, such as Malware, ID Theft, Ransomware and Network Attacks. The forum sights a marked increase in cybercrime during the COVID-19 pandemic as attackers go after hospital systems as well as remote workers trying to access their corporate data from home. From fraudulent charities and extortion scams to phishing and malware emails, the last year has seen an increase. 

This is especially concerning, says the ISF, as a new generation of employees joins the workforce who are used to being online but lack the needed knowledge or awareness to protect themselves and their companies from similar attacks. This is largely due to the attitudes towards the sharing of personal information that leave most people vulnerable to hacking. 

To face this rising threat, it is recommended that people and organizations increase their awareness of these issues and develop an understanding of how to respond in case of an attack. Appropriate protection must be put in place and digital literacy increased. It is even recommended that mental health should be taken into consideration as cyber fatigue and other issues could reduce a person’s capacity to follow security protocols, protect themselves, or respond appropriately to cyber-attacks.

Digital Literacy Pop-Ups Toolkit

Through what they call short-form, light-touch, pop-up activities, The Digital Literacy Pop-Up Toolkit offers engaging programs to help develop digital literacies in topics such as password protection, data privacy, access to information, and fake news. 

This great toolkit provides a simple solution for teachers, community centres, and anyone interested in spreading awareness to engage their community and open opportunities for digital literacy discussions and learning. Each tool comes with downloadable content and resources to guide the learning process.

Access to Resources

https://digitalliteracy.info/