In today’s technological world, digital literacy is crucial to communicating, accessing information, and developing careers. In fact, 70% of all jobs worldwide will require their employees to be digitally skilled by 2025. 

However, research shows that 40% of employers struggle to find candidates with the necessary technological proficiency, indicating that people in the year 2024 still are not up to par with their digital skills. 

2021 data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) revealed that 2.9 billion people are still offline and have never browsed the World Wide Web. Unsurprisingly, 96% of those live in developing countries.

Even those 4.9 billion Internet users don’t have the opportunity to go online on a regular basis. Many who are digitally excluded may face challenges like poverty, illiteracy, accessing electricity, and lacking digital skills and awareness.

Dr. Aderinsola Adio-Adepoju, founder of Skilled For Work Academy, has witnessed the unfortunate consequences of technology mishandling in developing countries firsthand.

"Many Africans lack basic computer skills, making them vulnerable to security risks and limiting their employability. In fact, according to the African Development Bank, approximately 45% of Africans lack basic digital skills, and 70% of African youth lack the skills needed to succeed in the digital economy."

"I'm passionate about educating others about technology and workplace skills. As I mentioned in my previous post on LinkedIn, I've seen people spend years chasing certifications and degrees, only to realize they lack the clarity and skills needed to succeed in the workforce," explains Dr. Aderinsola.

"I created the Skilled For Work Academy - to provide Africans with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the digital age. My experience has taught me that technology education is crucial for economic growth and development in Africa. I've seen how it can transform lives and communities. According to the World Bank, every 10% increase in digital skills in Africa can lead to a 1.5% increase in GDP growth."

Meanwhile, in developed countries like the US, only 7% of people never went online. This is strongly linked to age, as older Americans are the least likely to use the Internet. Education levels and income also contribute to people not being online. 

Despite some people still being offline, the vast majority of the global population is now using the Internet. That said, according to the World Economic Forum, only 5% reach level three of digital proficiency—the highest level of skill. 14% were below level one or had a very basic understanding of technology. 

Most people (28.7%) were at level one, which meant they could solve a problem using email and a web browser. A quarter falls into the second level at which they could complete a task using an online form and navigating through several pages and applications. 

Unfortunately, the general view of people’s technology proficiency seems bleak, which IT professional, technology consultant, and founder of Smart Space IT, Barry Wong, seems to agree with.

"A majority of my clients are self-employed, operate their own businesses, and are technologically challenged," he says.

One of the most common cases of technology mishandling that he has seen is not having important data backed up properly.

"A common misconception is that cloud backup is enough. However, what most people don’t realize is that backing up files into the cloud is not enough, and they're still at risk of losing data. A proper backup strategy includes 3 backups - 2 backups on different media (cloud storage and external hard drive, DVD, or USB drive) and 1 backup off-site.

If your backups are in the office and/or home, what will happen to them in the case of a fire or flood? That’s why it’s important to have 1 backup off-site. Ideally, the off-site backup would be in a safety deposit box," he advises.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aderinsola often sees people infringing on virtual meeting etiquette, like forgetting to mute their microphone or not using headphones. Or sending passwords via email and using AI to do academic assignments, which leads to plagiarism.

However, the good news is that we all personally can make improvements on this front, which can provide us with better job opportunities, personal development, and increased social engagement. 

Wong suggests starting by learning to secure private information. "It’s very easy to get scammed via email or have a home wifi network hacked. The easiest way for people to educate themselves about technology is to read the manuals for the technology they use on a daily basis. Visit the websites for the technology they use to learn how to secure them."

The best tip he has on being safe online is to refrain from clicking on any questionable links a person receives via emails or messages. "If the email is questionable, click the email address of the sender to see if it’s legit."

"Just today I received an email from Apple Support in regards to a support call," Wong shares. "I didn’t have a support call with Apple recently, so I checked the sender’s email address, and it was clear the email did not come from Apple, even though the email content looked similar to an email from Apple. Be skeptical about the emails you receive and question articles and videos you see online. These days, AI can generate realistic content that may be false and dangerous," he warns.

Dr. Aderinsola recommends starting with basic computer literacy skills such as getting familiar with Google Workplace apps (e.g., browsers, documents, sheets) and taking programs that offer community support and mentorship (e.g., SFW Academy).

Lastly, she mentions that it's important to practice computer literacy skills in day-to-day activities and stay up-to-date with the latest technology trends.