The digital generation refers to people born in the digital era that have grown up with access to digital information and the ability to navigate the new communication technologies. The use of technology is still growing and today’s digital generation is moving forward to a future where they have become slaves to their own devices. According to vivavideoappz.com in an article written by Divya 16, people of today are deeply dependent on technology that is making them less creative. There is no doubt to the fact that the use of technology has remodelled and redefined the life of every individual across the world. Jean Pierre Niyodusenga, an ICT consultant and lecturer at Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA), recognises that as the world becomes digital there will be two dimensions of people. “There will be a team of young innovative and energetic young people like programmers who are very literate about ICT and are making money out of it. They are also building infrastructure and are taking care of cybersecurity. These people won’t be dumb because they are knowledgeable. They will keep using their brain to think about how they can make the world a better place through technology,” he says. “However, there is another group of people who use this technology but don’t want to think at all. Since everything is automated; they won’t even need to use their minds for simple math like two times two.” On the other hand, the digital life will spoil our kids, he says, because they will do practically nothing and that can make the majority of the generation dumber. He adds, “We have some apps like Siri that you tell everything you want to do and it does it for you. So, very soon we will have people who don’t even remember how to write their names.” Valens Shami, a clinical psychologist, recognises that it is not a problem to belong to the digital generation but urges people to have control over how they use the technology. “Technology can help us in development but we have to learn how to control it. There should be a balance between using devices and doing other activities like socialising with friends and family,” he says. “Being in a digital world can’t just affect one’s intellectual capacity because they already have the basic knowledge. However, the relationship with other people can decrease. One can use social media and the internet to search for solutions to their problems, or research about their emotional state instead of talking to someone else which can be more effective psychologically. “That can cause people to have depression and can affect their productivity and development,” Shami says. Emmanuella Ndwano, Community Manager at 250 Startups, says that the digital generation will be smarter because they will be required to innovate more. “Of course, the negative effect will be there. Every good thing has its negative and positive side; the same thing with technology, but for me, the technology will be there to facilitate our lives and improve our lifestyle,” she says. Gikumi Ukwitegetse, a student in Computer Science at Ines-Ruhengeri says, “Technology is a wonderful tool to support various services and people feel better positioned with it. As it facilitates one to do a lot of work pertinent to education, research, and news.” However, she says, it has also proved to be harmful when not used properly. Teenagers are mostly addicted to it and it causes health issues like eye sight problems, neck and back pain, and financial issues, she says. She adds, “I may say that technology is here to stay and bring about development in case it is used properly. Now it’s up to us to see which direction to take it so that it doesn’t harm us.”
