Developing Digital Citizenship in Municipality: Factors and Barriers

Current changes and people's adaptation to technological changes causing the use of social media among citizens in Thailand is increasing. According to Kemp [1] by We Are Social and the social media management platform. It found that in 2021, the Thai Consumer Behavior Report on social media used social media as their main channel to update news and ranked No. 1 in the world, accounting for 78% of all users. According to the ranking of social media in Thailand in 2021, Thai people used social media for 8 hours and 44 minutes a day, mostly via mobile phones or smartphones [2]. The following are the numbers of users on each platform: first is Facebook, with the most users in Thailand (51 million); second is LINE, with 45 million users (65% male, 35% female); and third is YouTube, with 40 million male users. 62% of the population is female, while 38% is male. The data shows the popularity of social media. As a result, people's usage habits change. Thailand's development in various aspects has made information technology development easily accessible to everyone.

The Thailand 4.0 policy is a commitment to change the economic structure to a "Value-Based Economy" or "Innovation-Driven Economy", with the main idea being to shift from producing "commodities" to "innovative" products. It concentrated on the transition from the industrial sector to being driven by technology. However, among the forces encouraging people to use more technology, barriers to using technology properly have inevitable consequences. Some dangers come with using the internet and social media. The perception of too much information, which affects health, as well as obtaining information without filtering sources and facts, is the awareness of using social media. Digital citizenship was defined as the ability to use technology, critically, and productively. The concept of digital citizenship refers to the responsible and ethical use of digital technologies and the Internet. It encompasses a wide range of issues, including online privacy, cyberbullying, digital literacy, and internet security.

Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, more people are using technology for telework and online learning. The usage of technology is on the rise and it is becoming more crucial to know how to utilize it properly. Business executives, educators, government employees, and activists can learn about digital citizenship to better understand how we should utilize technology. The role of "digital citizenship" is important for stepping up change and contributing to the development of the economy, society, and country. The phenomenon characterized by access to affordable broadband and skills for effective use is called "digital citizenship," or the ability to participate in society online [3]. People can use the internet to manage, control, and do right and wrong. It is the norm for the proper use of digital technology. Given the significance of digital citizenship in contemporary society, this idea has grown to play a significant role in the normative framework for people, local officials, and local leaders.

Thus, this study wants to compare the digital citizenship of people between Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality which are preparing to become smart cities. The Hat Yai Municipality is the center of commercial activity and grows along with the development of physical infrastructure and social structure, whereas the Songkhla Municipality is the center of government offices and academics. In addition, both of these are important areas to drive the economy and tourism of the country according to the strategy set by the government.

In addition, this study considered developing digital citizenship, which included factors influencing and barriers to digital citizenship. To encourage people to be aware of the significance of social media and digital media, relevant government organizations and private sectors must be given a push in the obvious policies. Therefore, the research has a lot of interesting implications for academics, practitioners, and policymakers to develop good digital citizenship in the future.

(1) This study aims to know the level of digital citizenship of people and also the personal factors that affect the digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai and Songkhla municipal areas.

(2) These factors may serve as indicators for policymakers to formulate related policies and for educators to plan for the program in society. Suggestions are provided for practitioners based on the findings.

(3) Governmental organizations and the corporate sector will be able to use the greater knowledge of the barriers to digital citizenship and the challenges of being a digital citizen to formulate policies that will encourage and develop good digital citizenship in the future.

Digital citizenship is becoming increasingly important as technology continues to play a significant role in our daily lives. With the proliferation of social media, online communication, and the growing importance of digital skills in the workplace. Individuals need to understand the implications of their online behavior and how it affects themselves and others. Digital citizenship involves being aware of and adhering to online norms and expectations, respecting others and their opinions, protecting personal information and digital identity and using technology to promote positive social interactions and productivity. Many studies on digital citizenship aim to promote responsible and ethical behavior online, foster positive digital communities, and empower individuals to navigate the complex digital landscape.

Howland et al. [4] noted that technology has become essential to modern life and education. It serves several purposes in facilitating learning through creating knowledge, providing realistic context for learning by doing, visualizing, assessing, modeling, and so on.  Digital citizenship refers to the behaviors and attitudes that are expected of individuals who use digital technologies and participate in online communities. There are various definitions of digital citizenship, but most agree that it involves ethical behavior online, media and information literacy, digital participation/engagement, and critical resistance. As a result, digital citizenship is defined as "the ability to effectively understand, navigate, and exist in the digital environment” [5, 6].

According to Choi [7], digital citizenship consists of four main components: digital ethics, digital media, information literacy, digital participation/engagement, and critical resistance. Ribble and Bailey [8] identified nine behaviors of digital citizenship: digital access, digital commerce, digital communication, digital literacy, digital etiquette, digital law, digital rights and responsibility, digital health and wellness, and digital security. These behaviors involve being responsible and ethical users of digital technologies, accessing and using digital tools and resources effectively, and being aware of the potential risks and benefits of using the internet.

Wang and Xing [9] studied the impact of parent training and economic and social factors on the digital citizenship of 270 young people in the United States. The study found that young people with parents who participate in technology and online activities have a higher level of digital citizenship in terms of appropriate behavior and safety when using technology. In addition, economic and social factors also influence the level of digital citizenship of young people.

According to the Council of Europe [10], digital citizenship can be defined as competent and positive engagement with digital technology and data (creating, publishing, working, sharing, socializing, investigating, playing, communicating, and learning); active and responsible participation at all levels (political, economic, social, cultural, and intercultural); participating in a dual process of lifelong learning (in formal, informal, and non-formal settings) and continuously defending human dignity and all attendant human rights.

Karaatmaca et al. [11] noted that digital citizenship is the act of transferring fundamental rights, obligations, and duties to the digital world and upholding these high standards there. According to Mossberger et al. [3], digital citizenship has been characterized as the capacity to engage in social interaction online. It also refers to those who often use technology, seek out political information to carry out their civic duties, and use technology at work for economic gain.

Jones and Mitchell [12] noted that it refers to the nature or quality of engaging in online activity, including responsible and secure online behavior that incorporates the ideas of accountability, rights, security, and safety.  In addition, Hussain and Shah [13] confirmed that digital citizenship significantly lessens cyberbullying's component of cyber victimization.

Based on the literature reviewed, the hypotheses of this study are as follows.

H1: There are differences in the digital citizenship of people based on gender, age, occupation, income, and education level.

H2: There are differences in the level of digital citizenship among people in Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality.

The data was collected from a sample group of people living in Hat Yai and Songkhla Municipalities. The researcher collected data by distributing 800 questionnaires to two areas, using online questionnaires (online surveys), and research assistants to distribute questionnaires. The questionnaires obtained from the data collection were checked for scores according to the criteria. The completed questionnaires were analyzed in the research process.

The 400 questionnaires were distributed to each municipality and received complete answers from 204 people in Hat Yai Municipality, with a 51% of response rate, and from 234 respondents in Songkhla Municipality, with a 58.5% of response rate.

The second objective of the research is to compare the level of digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality. According to the result in Table 4, all four aspects were compared by t-test statistics. The overall result was significantly different at the 0.05 confidence level (t=7.656). When considering the comparison of digital citizenship in each aspect, it was found that identity and personal information protection (t=6.608), activities on digital media and social networks (t=4.415), skills and abilities in a digital environment (t=6.498), and digital ethics (t=7.750) were significantly different. Therefore, the research results supported hypothesis H2. In addition, the findings revealed that the level of digital citizenship of people in the two municipalities was at a high level. These results showed that people in Hat Yai Municipality considered digital ethics while people in Songkhla Municipality emphasized activities on digital media and social networks.

Table 4. Comparison of the level of digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality

*Significant at 0.05 level

Source: Primary data processed, 2021

15.1 Personal factors affecting the digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai and Songkhla Municipality

It was found that people with different personal factors, such as gender, occupation, and educational level, had differences in digital citizenship. The level of digital citizenship among people in both municipalities depends on their gender, occupation, income, and education level. However, people of different ages and incomes have no differences in digital citizenship. Thus, it concluded that personal factors impact digital citizenship. The findings are in line with a study by Jones and Mitchell [12], which found that younger youth exhibited less respect for others online. and females respect others more than males. The research results were different from Thungsong and Siriwat’s [18] study, which found that the results of comparing digital intelligence at the level of digital citizens, classified by sex, academic performance, and family income, were no different.

15.2 Comparison of the level of digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality

The results showed that the people in the two areas had a significant difference in the level of digital citizenship at a confidence level of 0.05. In other words, people live in different municipal locations, their digital citizenship will also be different. In addition, the average digital citizenship of people in Songkhla Municipality was higher than that of people in Hat Yai Municipality. It implied that people in Songkhla Municipality had a higher level of digital citizenship. It showed that people had a better understanding of digital citizenship. They had the knowledge and ability to use digital media appropriately, especially in terms of activities on social media that involve digital media to build relationships with others. In addition, they emphasized the ability to manage financial transactions, including economic, social, and political participation. Moreover, people in Songkhla had skills and abilities in a digital environment. It is related to knowledge and techniques for using digital tools, as well as the ability to solve problems related to using digital media. While the people in Hat Yai Municipality have a higher level of citizenship than those in Songkhla Municipality in terms of maintaining their identity and personal information, which is about self-expression in society outside of presenting themselves in the online world. Finally, people in the Hat Yai Municipality had digital ethics, which is about digital responsibility, and respecting the privacy rights of others. They had more knowledge of copyright laws and computer crime laws than those in the Songkhla Municipality.  Therefore, the different characteristics of the area of Songkhla Municipality where the government agencies are located and educational institutions with Hat Yai Municipality, which is an important economic area. As a result, the level of digital citizenship among citizens is also different.

This study is consistent with Supattanakula and Maliwan’s study [19] which found the area factors that affect the use of technology and electronic transactions. It implied that people living in areas that are centers of business, trade, and finance are more likely to use technology or social media to conduct transactions than people living in areas that are government centers.

15.3 The barriers to digital citizenship of people in Hat Yai Municipality and Songkhla Municipality

The results of the study revealed that the people in both areas focused on problems and obstacles of digital citizenship at a high level. The results showed that the people in the two municipalities were ready, knowledgeable, and understanding of digital media and social networks. In addition, they had devices such as a smartphone or tablets that allowed them to access digital media easily, conveniently, and quickly, but they still lacked trust in the safety of electronic systems and had concerns about the safety of using digital media. Furthermore, most people are concerned about being ethical when using digital media and social media, as both are currently used. There were more results of the inappropriate use of digital media and social media nowadays. People habitually used digital and social media to deceive others for their benefit without regard for legitimacy or social responsibility. Currently, fake news is spread on social media by malicious people with bad intentions, such as causing controversy or spreading hatred, causing confusion and panic among the people. Furthermore, cyberbullying (bullying) refers to bullying, slander, cursing, expressing opinions and comments, or publishing or sharing information that is harmful to others via social media.