Digital Literacy Vital for Enhancing ASEAN’s Digital Integration Agenda

Over the past decade, ASEAN has not been short of plans and frameworks to drive the regional digital integration agenda. This includes the ASEAN Digital Framework Integration Action Plan in 2019 and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). For the latter, negotiations are set to be concluded later in 2025. The approach taken by these frameworks has largely concentrated on initiatives to enhance digital capabilities of ASEAN Member States (AMS) as well as to promote more regulatory harmonisation in relevant areas such as cross border data transfers. However, without sufficient digital literacy among ASEAN’s citizens, even the best-structured frameworks would fall short of best laid plans.

In March 2021, the Framework for Developing Digital Readiness Among ASEAN Citizens (“the Framework”) was adopted. This Framework approaches digital readiness from three perspectives: digital access, digital literacy, and digital participation. The first perspective refers mostly to the availability of digital infrastructure as well as the tools required for digital connectivity, the second is skewed towards the inclusivity aspect, with the aim to help people from all walks of life to leverage on these technologies. Digital literacy goes above and beyond the knowledge of how to use digital technologies, but it has a more holistic scope. This would require both enabling aspects to enhance the effective use of these technologies to add value to lives and livelihoods, as well as safeguard aspects to ensure that society is well-informed about the potential risks of using these technologies. This aspect would also include the ability to think critically and discern misinformation or disinformation present in the digital arena and with that, better exercise ethical behaviour in the digital space.

Digital literacy is especially critical in ASEAN, where gaps in digital development and uneven institutional and regulatory frameworks are apparent.

Given that the Framework is not binding, the translation of these digital literacy objectives in the respective AMS remains uneven despite some notable initiatives to strengthen regional digital literacy levels. This includes the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme, which focused on capacity building to counter misinformation in the region.

National digital literacy initiatives such as Indonesia’s Siberkreasi National Movement for Digital Literacy and Malaysia’s Saya Digital initiative centre around awareness programmes. Separately, Singapore’s Digital for Life (DfL) scheme has taken an ecosystem approach by engaging multiple stakeholders from the private sector and civil society to achieve broad-based societal digital literacy objectives. That said, general digital development initiatives directed at the education system and the workplace to boost digital skills are mainly focused on the ability to use these technologies. Without the incorporation of the digital literacy component, the ability for digital development to create more sustainable economic growth could be impeded. This is especially the case when the pace of technological developments outruns human capital developments. This leads to mismatches in skills required by industry and the digital capabilities of the population.

Digital literacy is especially critical in ASEAN, where gaps in digital development and uneven institutional and regulatory frameworks are apparent. A more digitally-savvy population may help to make up for some of these gaps. One important context is in cybersecurity. In cases where regulations have not been well implemented, a more digitally-literate population could help to boost resilience against cybercrimes. Societies can be trained to be more discerning with regard to potential cyber-threats and inculcated with the culture of taking preventive steps to prevent cybercrimes. With more confidence in using digital technologies and having the digital know-how to mitigate risks which may arise in their use, greater digital adoption among a nation’s population could drive greater digital use across borders, lending to greater digital integration.

Mind the Gap

Figure 1. Perceptions of Digital Literacy Among Youth in Southeast Asia

From the perspective of a community-level effort to boost digital literacy, it may also be important to note that the age factor is not a guaranteed indicator of digital literacy. It is generally assumed that young people are digital natives who have grown up with digital technologies from the start. That said, however, not all youth are digitally savvy and immune to cybercrimes and online misinformation. There are notable differences in the perceived level of digital literacy in the region as well as among youth in the respective AMS. Youth in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei appear to be the most confident of their digital literacy levels. Their counterparts in Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam exhibit not only the lowest perceived levels of digital literacy but also possess the widest perception gaps among this cohort. (Figure 1). As such, not only will it be imperative to establish digital literacy programmes nationwide but also to ensure that these are accessible to all parts of society who may be disadvantaged by their access to information due to factors such as geographical remoteness or the social networks they are a part of. Targeted awareness programmes for youth in more rural locations or from lower-income households could help to narrow these gaps.

Digital literacy is a form of economic empowerment and should be considered part and parcel of the digital economic integration package. Enhancing digital literacy initiatives across the region will help to mitigate risks of a growing regional digital divide and enhance digital connectivity. Ultimately, ASEAN’s stakeholders need to harness regional frameworks. Without sufficient levels of digital literacy, grand plans of regional digital integration will fall short of their ambitions.

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