On this year’s Safer Internet Day, AIS AUNJAICYBER has chosen to interpret safe internet usage as achieving a “balance” on the screen in terms of appropriateness. This concept is at the core of their campaign, Social Detox, which encourages society to take a temporary break from screens and discover happiness in other aspects of life. The campaign aims to help individuals recover from the hazards found on screens, encompassing both cyber threats and misinformation. Social Detox also motivates everyone to venture into new experiences, open their hearts, explore different perspectives, and return to online activities in a balanced, secure, and creative manner. In essence, it reaffirms the mission to promote cyber wellness in every online interaction.
Saichon Submakudom, Head of Public Relations and Business Relations at AIS, highlighted the increasing online media usage behavior among Thais each year. Citing data from the Global Overview Digital Report 2023 by We Are Social, Thais spend an average of 2 hours and 44 minutes on social media daily. Additionally, the Thailand Cyber Wellness Index (TCWI) reveals that over 85.16% lack digital skills, particularly in managing screen time effectively.
The research further indicates that students aged 10-18 engage in the most inappropriate screen time, with an 86.11% need for skill development. Notably, the age group of 13-15 years old exhibits the lowest average scores, coinciding with the period when most students begin owning phones. Excessive screen time is found to impact various aspects of daily life, including learning and working, with 23.59% experiencing such consequences and 56.58% engaging in almost constant screen use.
Digital literacy, particularly in terms of screen time management, emerges as a crucial aspect of the 4P Digital Intelligence Skills, fostering appropriate online media use. Acknowledging these challenges, AIS AUNJAICYBER chooses to communicate the perspective that online and social media usage should be appropriately balanced on Safer Internet Day. The campaign, titled “Social Detox: Take a Break, Turn On Happiness,” encourages everyone to step back from social media, open their hearts, and explore new activities. The goal is to facilitate self-reflection and encourage a return to online use in a balanced, safe, and creative manner.
“We believe that the Social Detox campaign, ‘Take a Break, Switch On Happiness,’ on this Safer Internet Day, will serve as a starting point for Thais to allocate time and balance their internet usage. AIS AUNJAI CYBER remains committed to advancing the creation of Digital Citizens with Digital Wellness, capable of safely and creatively navigating the cyber world while fostering meaningful relationships with those around them,” concluded Saichon.
