The Role of Literacy

In a continuation my post about the pillars of Tech Consciousness, this article centres on the importance of literacy in tech usage.

What is literacy?

Literacy: “Competence or knowledge in a specified area“.

Among the pillars I’ve discussed so far, intention points you in the right direction. Awareness is there to remind you of what’s happening in the moment. Boundaries protect you. Literacy explains how everything works and why it works in a specific field. Here we are discussing technology.

Literacy is knowing how something works, instead of just how to use it. There’s more than just liking, scrolling or posting, there’s a deeper understanding to be obtained. Literacy asks you for a further understanding which includes:

• What platforms really want from you when you’re using the platform, such as data for profiling
• How the system and algorithm behind the screen works
• Why you’re being shown what you see and how that shapes your actions

On top of that, you can also equip yourself with:

• AI literacy – it’s an extremely dynamic technology which is always changing and evolving. It will and is already having a deep impact on communication and how work is done worldwide
• Content and design literacy – this gives you the assurance that the feeling of ‘it’s hard for me to quit / reduce my usage’ is MEANT to happen. These tools are worked on by thousands of specialists to make you feel that exact way
• Data and privacy literacy – Understanding data is being collected, how it’s stored and what it’s used for. This helps you realise the value of your time and attention, it generates revenue for whoever you give it to

Why does literacy matter in a technology context? 

Literacy matters because undoubtedly technology shapes your behaviour and outlook, whether you acknowledge it or not. Technology is a powerful catalyst for change. If you don’t understand how it works, you begin operating through autopilot, taking exactly what it hands you without any thought. The notifications and content you consume are placed for you, not by you.

With literacy, you are able to see beyond what is presented at face value, why platforms behave the way they do and how it can take away from you. The goal is to allow technology to add to your life, instead of taking away.

What areas do I need literacy in?

These are the four areas of literacy that will supercharge your understanding of technology:

1. Algorithmic Literacy: This is understanding how your feed works. Apps have high level systems to track your behaviour, what you click, watch, skip, save and send to others. It uses this behaviour to keep you using the platform for as long as possible. This reframes what you see from “what the world is doing” to being a reflection of your past thoughts and actions on a specific platform.

2.    AI Literacy: AI is a rapidly evolving technology which has already made an impact on the world through communication and work. Arming yourself with an understanding of AI will give you the skills to stay adaptable where it is only going to become more influential. Understanding how AI generates output, where it sources information and its natural biases will allow you to be critical of its outputs.

3.    Content and Design Literacy: This gives you an understanding of how platforms are crafted to retain your attention. Features such as autoplay and infinite scroll are intentional. They need to keep feeding you because God forbid you run out of content to consume! This puts the “it’s so hard to stop” feeling into perspective, it’s meant to be difficult to stop. This gives you the power to control how you interact with such apps.

4.    Privacy and Data Literacy: It’s a well known maxim that “If something is free, you are the product“. Companies make much, much more money by selling your data than they ever would charging you for it. Always remember, if you’re given something for free, you are not the one paying them.

With privacy and data literacy, you will be able to understand exactly what data is collected, how it’s stored, what it’s used for. Your attention, behaviour, location, preferences and more are used to generate value for them. You’ll be able to understand the true cost of “free” platforms. 

Closing

Literacy gives you the power to understand how it shapes your behaviour, thoughts and outlook. Understanding the mechanics will prevent you from being put at the mercy of what is put in front of you. Every game has its exploits, why not learn them to put yourself in the best position? Even further, you wouldn’t just eat whatever anyone gives you, why watch or interact with whatever you are given?

Having the option to choose how you interact gives you power to turn technology into a tool which will add value to your life. Using it consciously equips you with the ability to protect your time and make informed decisions.

However, literacy is an ongoing practice. Every day is a learning day. You are your own teacher. Curiosity and asking questions are your greatest allies.