How to Handle Digital Trust

 ■ How to Handle Digital Trust

I participated as a speaker at the "World Digital Conference" organized by Nikkei.

Theme: Why is Digital Trust Necessary?

I first spoke at the World Digital Summit in 1999, during my time at the MIT Media Lab, after leaving Kasumigaseki. Although the digital climate was energized then, by the following year, the eJapan initiative presented by the government was still grappling with the two major challenges of education and informatization of administration—challenges that persisted even twenty years later in the policy agenda. The pandemic made us aware of our digital shortcomings.

The government has introduced strategies to promote data usage.

From the private sector perspective, the Super Education Association, which I am involved with, has been making recommendations on establishing data usage guidelines.

Although it took a decade to integrate PCs and other digital tools, leveraging data might take another decade. A collaborative effort involving industry, government, and academia is necessary.

Japan's overall Digital Transformation (DX) effort is somewhat precarious.

While the government has established a Digital Agency to focus on administrative DX, the incident in Yamaguchi Prefecture, where COVID-19 relief funds were mistakenly distributed, revealed that offices and banks were still exchanging data using floppy disks—not via the internet, cloud, AI, or Web3, highlighting the reality of Japan's digital landscape. Before we can fully embrace DX, there are more fundamental issues to address.

Q: What new challenges have arisen from advancements in DX within the educational sector?

A: An environment for utilizing data has been established, but the predominant feeling is one of anxiety, which has not been sufficiently countered by visible benefits. The introduction of PCs and digital textbooks was initially met with similar apprehensions. Demonstrating tangible outcomes, like children enjoying learning and improving academically, was crucial. The same principle applies to data.

Q: What are the issues with misinformation during events like the Ukraine invasion and the US presidential elections?

A: There are three key approaches: regulatory, technological, and educational, all of which require comprehensive planning. From a regulatory perspective, while the US lets GAFA handle data management, China maintains state control, and the EU employs a unified legal framework. Japan must decide which direction to align with. Technologically, solutions like AI filtering and digital distribution infrastructures are available. Beyond technology, enhancing literacy education is essential to develop the ability to discern the reliability of information and data and to foster proper digital engagement.

A: What role should governments and media play?

Q: The tasks are numerous, including establishing rules, developing technology, and educating. However, the first step for the government should be to embrace data usage themselves, beginning with simple measures like discontinuing the use of faxes and promoting open data to enable private sector usage.