Digital Culture & Society

Culture Change

  • Culture = symbolic communication + shared way of life, transferred across generations.

  • Change arises via new ideas or technological advancement.

  • Technology now mediates most daily activities: shopping, research, news, healthcare.

  • Media shift: radio/TV → streaming, accessible 24 h/day; rise of wearables (fitness, GPS).

Digital Culture

  • Concept: technology + internet shape how we think, behave, communicate.

  • Transformation areas & typical platforms:
    • Payment – PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, WeChat Pay, Touch ’ n Go eWallet.
    • Shopping – Lazada, Shopee, eBay.
    • Services – eMedicine, MyEG, online legal advice.
    • Education – blended & distance learning.
    • Navigation – Waze (GPS + crowdsourcing).
    • News – push-notification breaking news.
    • Entertainment – YouTube, Netflix, Spotify.
    • Social connection – Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit.

Digital Society

  • Progressive society built on integrated advanced technologies.

  • Benefits vs risks: limitless content & connection ⇔ overuse & dependency.

  • Generation Z characteristics:
    • Expect immediacy (“want it now”).
    • Digitally native & dependent; unlikely to disconnect voluntarily.
    • Multidevice multitasking commonplace.

  • Key statistics
    • 70\% keep phone within arm’s reach while sleeping.
    • 86 phone checks/day for ages 18{-}24.
    • 89\% of Gen Z teens access internet multiple times/day.
    • 43\% under 35 would relinquish smartphone only for \$5\,000,000.
    • \tfrac{2}{3} engage on multiple devices simultaneously.

Multitasking

  • Critics: reduces filtering of irrelevant data.

  • Over 50\% of Gen Z believe multitasking does not harm work quality.

eMotional Impact & Support

  • Online identity intertwined with emotional health.

  • Nearly 70\% of Gen Z have received social-media support during tough times.

  • Dedicated help sites: im-in-crisis.org, Vibrant crisis chat/text.

Barriers to Digital Effectiveness (McKinsey 2016)

  • Cultural/behavioral issues 33\% (top barrier).

  • Lack of digital trend understanding 25\%.

  • Talent shortage 24\%.

  • IT infrastructure limits 22\%.

  • Misaligned organization structure 21\%.

Key Terms

  • Digital native – person raised in digital age.

  • Digital dependency – overuse of internet/devices disrupting daily life.