Especially since the Sars-Covid 2 crisis which started in 2020 digitalization became a prominent topic in media and politics?

Educational institutions, public facilities and companies began to develop and implement digitization concepts for almost all areas. Students were equipped with tablets to study regardless of social status and individual preferences. Meetings often take place online only, movies are streamed online anyway.  Digitization is presented in almost all areas as a key to independence and a step toward a fairer society.

However, an expansion of online services also requires an increasing demand for electronic equipment and server capacity. So, opponents criticize the immense amount of energy and raw materials needed to produce and operate electronic devices and services.

Consequently, seemingly contradictory studies on the impact of digitization on the environment and society are circulating. Depending on the source, the focus is on the additional energy consumption due to additional server capacities, the reduction in fuel requirements due to shorter travel distances, or social factors such as isolation.

But what is your opinion on the subject of digitization?

As pointed out earlier, digitalisation comes with adavantages and disadvantages in different areas and are discussed in broad detail in several sources. Topics include

• Economical factors (reduced travel costs, increased accessibility of professionals)
• Social topics (increased accessibility, physical social isolation)
• Environmental factors (reduced driveways, higher energyconsumption)

Especially these factors are interpreted differently depending on the source and it‘s intention.

It is necessary to flesg out where digitalization brings progress and where it leads into the realm of the affluent society.

The concept of digitalisation can and should be integrated in early technology education. A more sophicisticated approach can be included in secundary education, if topics like climate change, energy crisis and basic psychological and sociological concepts have been introduced.