World Day of Telecommunications
World Day of Telecommunications
Each year a topic on which to work is decided and this time the topic is the Internet and older persons.
Today 17th May, it is celebrated since 1969, the World Day of Telecommunications and the Information Society. An event proposed by the UN that commemorates the foundation of the International Telecommunications Union, as well as the foundation of the International Telegraphic Union, in 1865, to support the new communication methods at the time. An undoubtly important date since, from that moment onwards, the ITU had presence in all of the big milestones for communications: the invention of the telephone in 1876, launching the first satellite in 1957 and finally, the arrival of the internet in the 60s.
Currently the purpose of the World Day of Telecommunications is that of raising awarenes of the possibilities technology offers. As it could not be otherwise, it focuses on the Internet and other Information Technologies (IT).
"Internet for Older Persons and Healthy Ageing"
Every year, a different topic is chosen to celebrate the World Day of Telecommunications. The first topic, that was chosen in 1969, was that of Getting to know the UIT. Since then we've had different interesting topics, for example, Telecommunications and Health was the topic chosen for 1981. In 2018, the topic was Allowing the positive use of Artificial Intelligence for the AII. In 2017, the topic was Big Data for Big Impact. Women and Girl Children in IT was a fundamental topic in 2012, and we also had child protection in cyberspace as topic for 2009.
This time, the topic to deal with is the relationship of older people with the Internet and, as they explain from Incibe, the goal they pursue is to highlight the value of the Internet and new technologies as fundamental tools to help achieve healthy ageing, giving the elder the role and visibility they deserve in society.
Currently, the purpose of the World Day of Telecommunications is that of raising awareness about the possibilities technology offers. As it could not be otherwise, they particulary focused on the Internet and other Information Technologies (IT).
Digital Older People Manifest
Following the topic of the World day of telecommunications for 2022, a hashtag was created to make access as well as the use of digital technologies easier for elder people, as well as a decalogue with the following measures:
- Promoting social attitudes based on respect towards their dignity, freedom, interests and preferences and the right they have to have an effective participation and social live so that older people, and particularly disabled ones, will have their context in the Digital Society so that they may take the role that is rightfully theirs, having the same opportunities.
- Respect and compliance with the agreements of the International Convention both on the Rights of disabled people as well as the Spanish and European Union regulations regarding accessibility obligations and avoidance of barriers in devices, applications and services that make up digital technologies.
- Promoting and defending for devices, products, applications and technology services to be accessible for all people, particularly the Internet, so that it keeps its desing universal and accessible for any kind of older person and that provides them with the same opportunities as the rest of the population.
- Developing new initiatives and public help plans to grant older people the knowledge and abilities necessary for them to use digital tools independently: devices, applications and services and be able to therefore guarantee equal user experience. Support and promote activities in Digital Competence centers for older people to become autonomous throughout all the aspects of the digital reality.
- Promoting the safe use of digital technologies for older people providing them with the knowledge and capabilites necessary, through projects and campaigns for raising awareness specifically on cybersecurity issues, that increase the protection level in the face of the dangers the Internet entails and help them prevent possible cyberincidents.
- Investing in analysis, studies and investigation to anticipate and give the appropriate response to the requirements and needs of older people in digital society, by carring out a realistic funding through specific assistance plans.
- Boosting the importance of senior talent and experience to find them a place in society looking for formulae through digital technologies, so that older people can still bring in their talent and experience.
- Avoid discrimination and algorithm biasing for age or disability reasons in the new appliances of Artificial Intelligence. Promote social algorithms with ethical, responible and inclusion criteria that work as an orientation and prescription framework for Artificial Intelligence to have a social aspect.
- Pay special attention to the new legislative reforms regarding digital technologies, supporting them and providing them with the appropriate resources that make them feasible and effective for the whole collective of older people.
- Promoting specific assistance or training plans to incentivate and make the use of technologies easier by older people: for public and non-discriminatory policies, strategies, action plans, laws and regulations to be approved that promote and guarantee the full exercise of their fundamental rights and liberties allowing to connect the whole society.
