-time to speed up or to speed up slowly?
In the EU's annual review of Member States' digital maturity, Sweden is beaten by both Denmark and Finland. We keep our place, but others tap in. Good or bad? Is it time to pause for reflection or step on the gas?
- The Commission's report largely confirms the picture I have. Sweden ranks high in areas such as infrastructure, use of the internet, human capital and the integration of digital technologies," says Peter Eriksson, Minister for Digitalisation.
We're also slipping off the top of the "internet usage" list - the number of activities we do online, such as shopping and getting information - but that could just mean that we've reached a level where things naturally start to slow down, while other countries catch up.
But if it has stopped, then it is interesting why? For example, many people still don't really know what a cloud service is, so it's clear that they might be hesitant to put the very last of their most private things into the digital stream - if they don't even know where to put it and roughly how it works.
Or do we simply not want to, and want to keep an analogue part of our lives - something tangible, real, that doesn't exist online?
A list like this, and thoughts about placement, raises questions. A rather important one is: should we hurry up, and be first? Or should we slow down, think, and play it safe and maybe let others make the mistakes? According to the EU press release, 44% of people in the EU still lack basic skills such as using an email box, editing tools or installing new devices. Mistakes will be made.
If we hurry, why do we hurry? To "win" - and gain fame, glory and market share - or to lead the way to a better and digital world? Is being first in a world with a digital limp a long-term aspiration?
If we push hard - but with the aim of leading the way and getting others to join us - then we can be part of creating a sustainable digital future. And we believe in that.
