Research

Being able to access, understand and use information is vital to modern societies and has positive benefits for people economically, socially, culturally and politically. This Savvy Citizens website is an attempt to make people conscious of the value of information, not least the value of their own personal data.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT seeks to promote better public understanding of the benefits of being a Savvy Citizen. This site aims to help us in accomplishing that goal. By analysing aspects of people’s behaviour and attitudes, we have taken a snapshot of how ‘information savvy’ the UK is.

Some key findings:

Only 53% of Britons can name their MP.
Overall 42% of Britons believe that websites like Facebook and Twitter are a waste of time
Fewer women think technology has ‘changed their lives for the better’ (56% of women to 68% of men)
Fewer women think the internet ‘helps me to do my job better’ (54% of women to 67% of men)
While the majority (62%) agree that information technology has changed their lives for the better, one in three (32%) do not feel this way.
More than three in four (77%) claim they use information technology to their best advantage.
Almost one in three (31%) do not trust the information that they read on the internet. A similar proportion (32%) are neutral about this and a similar proportion again (30%) disagree considerably stating varying degrees of trust in information on the internet
Only 1 in 3 have research environmental information available to them about products that are available online. Half this number (one in six) have tried to calculate their carbon footprint online
However over three in five have used a price comparison website or bought and sold products online, and almost half manage their money online

Every week we’ll be hosting a poll on the home page so please do visit and take part. The results will then be posted on this website, along with analysis to help get a better understanding of people’s attitudes toward information savviness.

There is also a Savvy Citizens quiz on Facebook where you can test your own level of savviness. We hope people and organisations will share information on what has helped them lead savvier lives across the eight topics which we will cover in six week blocks on this website.

By the end, we hope it will have become a useful sign post for citizens and also helped start a debate about how we can become a ’savvier society’ when it comes to information and IT.

The ‘Savvy Citizens’ survey conducted by Opinion Leader canvassed the activities of 500 demographically representative members of the UK population by telephone between the ages of 18 – 65+. The survey consisted of a number of attitudinal statements regarding online applications and aspects of information technology. Respondents had to indicate whether or not they had undertaken each of the activities mentioned. Within each pillar, there were four or five statements of varying level of sophistication in terms of the use and manipulation of information. Overall, 23 statements were designed to indicate ‘savviness’ (e.g. I have signed an online petition’). Savviness was calculated in terms of the number of sophisticated activities of the 23 that each respondent had undertaken. Savvy citizens have been defined as those undertaking 13 or more of the activities (representing the top 20% of the 500 surveyed).

News

5th July 2010

Consumers can do more to ensure their purchases and lifestyles are environmentally sound

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, helps public to harness power of the internet to be greener

Research, commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, found that only 31% of Britons have looked up products online and got information on how environmentally friendly they are, and just 27% have used the internet to get advice on how they could be greener. Most shockingly, a mere 16% had tried to calculate their carbon footprint online.

The British public is still failing to harness the wealth of information available online to make sure that their purchases and lifestyle habits are as green as they could be. While recycling household waste and using energy efficient light bulbs have become second nature to most, consumers still aren’t making sure that their purchases are green and are largely unaware of their own environmental impact.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

“Most people are not accessing the resources available to them to make greener decisions about what they buy and how they live, and this must be addressed. While it’s encouraging that 85% of Britons claim to recycle their household waste and 94% have used energy saving light bulbs, there is much more that we all could do”

Doing some online research in advance of making a purchase could encourage shoppers to make greener purchases. For example, by checking that your next electrical buy is an ‘Energy Star’ product, or carries a similar green label, will not only help to reduce your carbon footprint, but will also save you money. Energy Star products are estimated to cut average power usage by about 75% over standard machines.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“Saving energy often means saving money as well as precious resources. The internet has a wealth of environmental information and people need to be aware of what’s out there and how to access, use and manage it to help them lead greener, more energy efficient lives. The Savvy Citizens site should be one of their first ports of call.”

The environment topic of the Savvy Citizens campaign, which launches today, provides access to blogs, resources lists and other materials to help people find out how to harness information available on the internet to help them minimisetheir environmental impact.

A Savvy Citizens quiz to test how environmentally savvy you are can be found on Facebook at: http://apps.facebook.com/savvycitizensquiz/?_fb_fromhash=9949b1e630575e161f148798aba6522d

The Savvy Citizens campaign can also be found on Twitter @SavvyCitizens and has its own Facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Savvy-Citizens/184190617483?ref=ts.

24th May 2010

Women missing out on money saving opportunities online

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT launches commerce topic of Savvy Citizens campaign

While 65% of respondents to the survey, conducted by Opinion Leader, had bought or sold products online, those that had were more likely to be men. Just 59% of women had bought or sold products online, compared to 73% of men. Last month, a report by the price comparison website, PriceRunner, found that 95% of high street prices could be beaten online, with shoppers on the high street paying almost a third more.

One of the most popular online resources for money savvy Brits are price comparison websites, which over three in five respondents have used. However, men lead the way here too, with 68% of men using them, compared to 58% of women.
Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“The research suggests that men are more likely to use free online tools to get the best deals. We hope that women will make use of the Savvy Citizens commerce pages and embrace the full range of resources available online to make sure that they get the best value for their money.”

Women aren’t just losing out on saving money online. The research also found that they are also less likely to use the services available to manage their money more conveniently. Just 40% of women had an online bank account, compared to 52% of men.

If you want to test how commercially savvy you are, check out our quiz on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/savvycitizensquiz/

The Savvy Citizens site will focus on commerce for six weeks from 24th May. Tools and resources that citizens can use to get the best deals and manage their money better will be highlighted both in the articles and in the comprehensive resources page: http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/resources2.

The topic will also focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, and how IT and the internet have increased the possibilities to start up or improve a small business. Readers with any suggestions or advice should contact the Savvy Citizens team at SavvyCitizens@bcs.org, or post a comment on the site.

Regular updates and commentary are available on Twitter @savvycitizens.

12th April 2010

Chartered Institute for IT calls on public to embrace online cultural experiences

Research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT found that just 55% of the public used the internet to access art, music or writing however, only 15% had published their own music, photography, art, writing or films online. A significant portion of society is therefore missing out on the cultural experiences offered by the internet, both in accessing content and creating and publishing their own. The Savvy Citizens campaign from the Institute will address this in the launch of its culture section today.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“A core aim of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is to empower citizens to get more from the value of information and technology. That’s why, for the next six weeks, the Savvy Citizens site will provide information on accessing cultural content online, as well as providing advice about creating and publishing personal content, like blogs, music and pictures. We want people to recognize the importance of information and IT in the online Cultural Revolution, and seize the opportunity to be a part of it themselves.”

Research carried out by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) reveals the situation for cultural experiences offline is little better, with almost 14% (13.8%) of the British public not taking part in any cultural or sporting activity in the 12 months to December 2009. Less than half (45.8%) had attended a museum, gallery or archive at least once in the last 12 months, and just over a third (37.6%) had used a public library service at least once in the past 12 months.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“The internet has democratised culture. It has given people the freedom to access, learn about and develop culture in a more accessible way, not limited by geography, class or education. It has become a vital channel to enjoy, create and share culture and we welcome developments by organisations like the V&A museum that has catalogued its collection online so that it’s available to all. We hope that more will follow their example”.

To highlight the value in accessing cultural collections online, the Savvy Citizens site will be featuring a blog post from Sarah Winmill, Head of IS Services at the V&A museum, whose website has a section dedicated to the museum’s comprehensive collection, all of which is accessible online.

24th March 2010

Government must safeguard investment in public service IT, say members of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Public sector should focus on improving standards of IT professionalism

Research launched today from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT shows that its members believe government should accelerate investment in public service IT, and not cut it, according to 62% of respondents.

63% believe that IT and the internet are improving the delivery of public services. A similar number (60%) indicated that still more could be done for this to translate in to improved efficiencies for both local and national government. Most respondents believed that the way to facilitate this would be to improve standards of IT professionalism in the public sector (79%).

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“Arguably the investments in IT could achieve more if those implementing the changes were given high quality support and training – hence the call for the public sector to improve standards of IT professionalism. One of the Institute’s core aims is to promote excellence in the IT profession in a number of ways, in particular through our revised CITP qualification. We hope that employers, both in the public and private sectors, come to demand this as a minimum standard for IT professionals”

84% of members think that citizens need more information about how decisions are made by government to ensure accountability.

Elizabeth Sparrow said:

“It’s clear from this research that our members feel strongly that the value of IT and the internet in the lives of citizens, and how they access and use public services, should not be overlooked. In research commissioned by the Institute for the launch of the Savvy Citizens campaign in November, 83% of the public thought that information about public services and government should be more freely available, despite the fact that the public sector has undertaken huge strides to get more information to the public via the Internet.”

The latest research found that 59% of members felt that the public fail to recognise the improvements in public services the IT industry has delivered, despite the fact that over half of respondents (55%) believe that IT and the internet are improving citizens’ rights and freedoms. The Institute’s Savvy Citizens campaign, which is currently looking at the issue of Citizenship, aims to help the public recognise the value of information, and IT, and make citizens savvier about how they access, use and manage it in their daily lives.

19th March 2010

State has more data on citizens than necessary, say members of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

Research launched today from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT shows that the Institute’s members believe that there is an imbalance between the data rights of the individual and the state. 61% of members questioned believed that the state has more data on citizens than is necessary, and just 17 percent thought that the current legal and regulatory framework for data was adequate. It is therefore unsurprising that members ranked the UK fourth, after Australia, the rest of the European Union and the USA in terms of the perceived openness of the government making information available to the general public.

There is certainly an appetite for information amongst the public. Previous research commissioned by the Institute at the start of its Savvy Citizens campaign found that 83% of the public said that information about public services and government should be more freely available. Yet 71% of the Institute’s members think that citizens are not conscious enough about their data rights to make this a major election issue.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“It is clear from this research that our members have concerns regarding how data is treated and accessed. Two-thirds of respondents thought that the state should make more public data available free of charge, however there is still a perception of a lack of awareness from the public as to the importance of information. For example, just 41% thought that citizens understood the value of their personal data, and only 10% believed that citizens understood their data rights. The Institute’s Savvy Citizens campaign, which is currently looking at the issue of Citizenship, aims to address these points and make citizens savvier about how they access, use and manage information in their daily lives”.

The finding that 60% of the Institute’s members believe that the balance between data rights of the individual and the state is unsatisfactory comes amidst continuing debate around the Digital Economy Bill, and the fears that its current form could mean that freedom on the Internet is diminished.

Last week, the Institute raised concerns about the passage of the bill and called for it to be given more time for debate and consideration.

Elizabeth Sparrow said:

“This Bill could have huge consequences for online activity that are currently poorly understood. The Institute has highlighted the importance of the Internet to citizenship, and the opportunities for everyone to participate. Those opportunities could be curtailed and even diminished if some of the proposals being discussed make it into law.”

The Institute believes that there is great potential for the Internet to positively engage people in political debate. Online access and capability can enrich individuals, widening and deepening inclusion and participation in the UK. However, according to the Digital Inclusion Taskforce, 10 million people in the UK claim to have never used the Internet and research commissioned by the Institute at the start of the Savvy Citizens campaign in November found that 31% of the public does not trust the Internet as a source of information.

Elizabeth continues: “A hastily rushed through form of the Digital Economy Bill would only increase digital exclusion and harm those most in need of and most positively affected by Internet access and capability. What the research launched today shows is that the membership of the Institute wants the government to ensure that more information is freely available, and not less.”

A guide to how to find out who your local MP is has been launched on the Savvy Citizens site today. Anyone who does not know who their elected representative is, or how easy it is to contact them online, is encouraged to watch and share the video at: http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/citizenship/howtofindyourmp

10th March 2010

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says Digital Economy Bill must not be rushed

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, today called for further time and consideration to be taken over the Digital Economy Bill currently passing through Parliament. The Institute believes that the issues raised by proposals require a more measured approach and a wider public debate than current timetables allow, recognising the important progress stimulated through this Bill.

“This Bill could have huge consequences for online activity that are currently poorly understood” said Elizabeth Sparrow, President of the Institute. “The Institute is highlighting the importance of the Internet to citizenship, and the opportunities for everyone to participate. Those opportunities could be curtailed and even diminished if some of the proposals being discussed make it into law.”

The Institute fully supports proportionate action against online copyright infringement, as well as supporting many areas of fruitful and beneficial online activity that are increasingly vital. For example, on March 11, the Institute is examining how the online environment is affecting politics, as part of its ‘Savvy Citizen’ campaign aimed at encouraging and equipping citizens to participate online to their benefit.

“There is great potential for the Internet to positively engage people in political debate.” said Elizabeth Sparrow: “This is one of many ways in which access and capability online can enrich individuals, widening and deepening inclusion and participation in UK society. Our approach to legislation in the digital arena must take into account what is at stake now and in the future.”

Recent argument, comment and amendments to and around the Bill have included proposals that could radically affect the Internet in ways that are difficult to predict. The Institute is concerned that hasty decisions could increase digital exclusion and harm those most in need of and most positively affected by Internet access and capability. The potential onerous burdens placed on many small companies, schools and libraries may reduce access and availability to many of the vulnerable members of society who may well derive the greatest benefit. Recent comments from Peers have also highlighted the intense lobbying by interest groups around this issue. The Institute is concerned that these interest groups may be focussed on a narrow front, so wider societal issues may not be properly accounted for.

The Institute is therefore calling for wider public debate and time for this Bill, and would have grave reservations about any inclusion of this Bill in a Parliamentary ‘wash up’.

Despite this position, the passage of the Bill has been valuable in raising some of these fundamental issues. Copyright and the creative industries are important and must be supported, but not to the net detriment of society. In this case the Institute believes that better legislation later, is preferable to hurried legislation now.

The Institute is not looking to comment at this point in great detail, but examples of proposals that may have dangerous consequences include:

Unspecified powers to modify copyright legislation without full parliamentary scrutiny
Powers to block or take down websites based on allegations of copyright infringement
Classifications of ‘service providers’ and obligations placed upon them

All of these points have potential impact on access, availability and use of the Internet that may be unintended and highly detrimental. If policymakers accept that access, availability and use of the Internet is an important national issue, they should ensure that impacts of the Bill are fully understood before it is enacted.

10th March 2010

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT calls on young people to participate in the political process

Savvy Citizens campaign teams up with YouthNet to get young people savvier about information

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is urging young people to get savvier about information ahead of the general election. The Institute believes that, although young people are amongst the technologically savviest in society, they risk becoming politically disenfranchised unless they harness technology to access political information and get involved in the political process, which includes registering to vote.

The Institute has teamed up with YouthNet, the charity dedicated to providing information to help young people make informed choices, to encourage young people to take an active interest in politics through the Institute’s Savvy Citizens campaign.

Elizabeth Sparrow said:

“We are urging young people to visit http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/ to get registered to vote, and participate via the internet to take control of their futures by being actively engaged citizens. To help them take the first step we have created a top ten list of online resources highlighting sites and tools that allow citizens to be part of the political process. This guide, along with our Savvy Citizens campaign, is an easy way to find out just how straightforward it is to get involved.”

The top ten resources are listed below; the full document is at: http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/citizenship/topten

Keyword alerts
Council monitor
HearfromyourMP
No. 10 petitions
Parliament.uk
Theyworkforyou
RSS Reader
DirectGov
Twitter
UpMyStreet

A report, published by the Hansard Society on 3rd March 2010, found that 34% of 18-24 year olds thought that politics was a waste of time, compared to 21% of the population as a whole. Only 27% of that age group thought that they would be certain to vote at the election. This came in the week that the Electoral Commission reported that over half of 18-24 year olds are not even registered to vote.

Fiona Dawe, Chief Executive of online charity YouthNet said:

“Through our services we know that many young people are interested in politics and are passionate about issues affecting all of us. What’s important is that politics is accessible to people of all ages.”

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“It is anachronistic that young people, probably the most digitally enabled in society, are not making use of the new platforms available to get savvy and participate in the political process. The latest Hansard report found that just one in 11 people (9%) had expressed their political view online, and fewer still had used either Facebook (4%) or Twitter (2%) to follow a political group or politician. With the Savvy Citizens campaign the Institute hopes that more young people will play an active part in their futures by using the internet to get savvier about the political process.“

Matthew Oliver, National Coordinator for Unlock Democracy’s Vote Match project said that

“The most common reason people give as to why they don’t vote is that they don’t know enough about where the parties stand on the issues that matter to them. However the internet means that information is just a click away.”

The Savvy Citizens site will focus on Citizenship for the coming weeks and will look at aspects of rights and responsibilities, the political process and the State and its services. On 11 March the campaign will be hosting a debate on the topic of ‘Will the internet determine the outcome of the election’, which will be streamed live between 10.00am and 11.00am at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/citizenshippanel. It will also be tweeted live by @SavvyCitizens with #Citizenshippanel.

The panel for the event is:

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
Paul Staines, Leading political blogger Guido Fawkes
Jag Singh, Former advisor to Hillary Clinton; founder of political ad agency MessageSpace
Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Mark Thompson, Liberal Democrat blogger at Mark Reckons

Michael Cross, a freelance journalist and regular contributor to The Guardian, will chair the session.

The campaign can also be found on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Savvy-Citizens/184190617483?ref=ts). A Citizenship quiz can be found on Facebook where participants can test their level of savviness (http://apps.facebook.com/savvycitizensquiz).

1st March 2010

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, urges citizens to get savvy before the general election

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is urging citizens to get savvier about information ahead of the next election. The Institute believes that the digital divide will be reinforced in the run-up to the election unless citizens are made aware of the wealth of information available, and how to access, use and manage it. Citizens are therefore urged to harness this information and get involved in the political process or risk being marginalised.

The Citizenship strand of the Institute’s Savvy Citizens campaign (http://savvycitizens.bcs.org) has launched today. The site also features a video interview clip with Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia and Co-Founder of Wikia (the full interview, which is an exclusive interview conducted by BCS, can be seen at www.bcs.org/video).

Speaking about social media and politics, Jimmy Wales said:

“I definitely think there is no serious politician, going forward, who can afford to ignore the internet… Everybody’s on the internet, more and more, and engagement for all segments is important and you can do so many interesting things on the internet that is not possible on other media, so I think it’s definitely the future of political campaigning.“

The Institute, which runs the BCS MP Website Awards, recently conducted some research, which found that only 53% of Britons could name their MP .

Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey and a former winner of the BCS award for best MP web site in 2008 and for best engagement for an MP website in 2007 said:

“There has never been a better time for citizens to become more informed and actively participate in the political process. Now more than ever, citizens can and should engage with their representatives and prospective candidates, and if citizens don’t know at least the name of their MP, they should use the tools available to them to find out. The Savvy Citizens site provides an easy and effective first step to discovering what is out there and how to use it”.

David Howarth, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary said:

“I am delighted to be able to give my support to this campaign. Any initiative which helps people to access information through technology is extremely useful. This campaign should be commended for promoting the use of technology to further the understanding of the political process and the citizen’s rights and responsibilities. This is a complicated issue and if people can gain a greater understanding through technology, it has to be worthwhile”

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

“The election will be the most digitally enabled and information rich to happen in the UK, but not all citizens will have access to the information available. While the Institute alone can’t solve the digital divide, it can make a contribution to building a better understanding of the value of information, as well as the power of information technology and the internet.”

The Savvy Citizens site will focus on Citizenship for the next six weeks and will look at aspects of rights and responsibilities, the political process and the State and its services at http://savvycitizens.bcs.org.
Regular updates and commentary are available on Twitter @SavvyCitizens.
The campaign can also be found on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Savvy-Citizens/184190617483?ref=ts).

A Citizenship quiz can be found on Facebook where participants can test their level of savviness (http://apps.facebook.com/savvycitizens.quiz).

25th February 2010

Nuffield Health backs Savvy Citizens campaign

The Chartered Institute for IT campaign highlights importance of accessing health information

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is pleased to welcome the support of Nuffield Health, the largest trading charity in the UK, in raising awareness of the importance of accessing and understanding health information. The Savvy Citizens Campaign, http://savvycitizens.bcs.org, will cover 8 topics, each running for 6 weeks. Each topic will address a core area of our lives in which information and information technology can be used to enhance it.

Nuffield Health joins other charities, including national cholesterol charity HEART UK and leading male health charity Men’s Health Forum, in partnering with the Savvy Citizens campaign, which aims to help people become more aware of the value of information in their daily lives.

Dr Andrew Jones, Group Medical Director at Nuffield Health said: “It is vital that people are aware of how to gain access to health information, both on and offline. However, what is even more important is that people understand what this information means to them and how they can use it to better their well being. At Nuffield Health, we provide support to enable consumers to do just that. Being a Savvy Citizen means ensuring you have the information and understanding to take control of your health.”

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said “Savvy Citizens is about helping people to access and use information. Providing Citizens with comprehensive health information is key to helping them to understand and improve health. Knowing what information is available and where to find it at the click of a mouse is a useful starting point to help people make the right choices for their lifestyles.”

Visit the Savvy Citizens website http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/category/wellness for more information, including an exclusive video by Dr. Sarah Jarvis on her top tips for a healthy heart, tips on how to research online before going to see your GP and Dr. Sophie Kefi shares her online resources for illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and liver disease.

28th January 2010

Men’s Health Forum backs Savvy Citizens campaign

The Chartered Institute for IT campaign highlights importance of accessing health information

Men’s Health Forum, the leading male health charity, is supporting the Savvy Citizens campaign run by the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, which aims to make people more aware of the value of information in their daily lives.

Jim Pollard, editor of the Men’s Health Forum’s health information website Malehealth.co.uk (http://www.malehealth.co.uk) said: ‘It’s more important than ever for men to know how to lead healthy lives. Men often don’t know the benefits of healthy choices. Research tells us that making healthy choices, such as not smoking, not drinking heavily, eating fruit and veg and getting some exercise, can add about fourteen years to your life.” (http://www.malehealth.co.uk/node/19572)

An exclusive video by Jim Pollard has been created for the campaign, in which he outlines five health tips every man should know.

The tips outlined in the video are:

Why it’s important to know who your GP is
Why knowing your trouser size is good for your health
How to reduce your stress level
How to make talking easier
How walking can save your life

The video can be viewed on the front page of the Savvy Citizens site (http://savvycitizens.bcs.org) and at http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/wellness/five-health-tips-for-men-from-the-mens-health-forum/.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:
“With the amount of health information available now both on and offline, we can make more informed choices about our health and fitness. Yet our research suggests women are more likely than men to use the internet for health information and services than men. We want to encourage men to better understand their health which is why we are delighted to highlight the on and offline work of the Men’s Health Forum in this area.”

Men’s Health Forum joins other charities, including national cholesterol charity HEART UK, in partnering with the ‘Savvy Citizens’ campaign, which aims to help people become more aware of the value of information in their daily lives.

Peter Baker, CEO, Men’s Health Forum said:
“Unskilled and partly skilled men still have a lower than average life expectancy. Men, generally, live unhealthier lives than women. As a society, we need to change that. One way of doing that is for us to become more information savvy about our health and fitness, which is why we are happy to work with BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT in this education campaign.’

11th January 2010

IT professionals urged to get fit in 2010

Chartered Institute for IT launches wellness topic of Savvy Citizens campaign

A New Years resolution for IT professionals should be to get fit, according to BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. A survey of British workers conducted by Fat Free Fitness recently found that IT workers were the most inactive and had the poorest diet of all UK workers. The Institute hopes that the launch of the wellness topic of its Savvy Citizens campaign (http://savvycitizens.org.uk) today will provide IT professionals with the advice and encouragement they need to lead happy and healthier lives in 2010.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said:

“It is a concern that the IT profession has been deemed to be the unhealthiest in the UK according to recent research. Fewer than 19 per cent are getting the recommended amount of physical activity and only 14 per cent are eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. With the start of the New Year and this new resource which offers and signposts expert advice, there has never been a better time to make a New Year’s resolution to change your diet and lifestyle habits”

Health experts that are partnering with the Institute for this part of the campaign include HEART UK, the nation’s cholesterol charity, and Men’s Health Forum, the leading male health charity. Content that will feature on the site from the topic’s launch includes an exclusive video from BBC’s Dr Sarah Jarvis, which provides advice on how to have a healthy heart in 2010.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“With the amount of health information available now we can make more informed choices about our health and fitness. Yet research by the Institute suggests that at present women are more likely than men to use the internet for health information and services. It is hoped that the Savvy Citizens wellness pages will encourage all members of the public to get more from the health information that is available both on and off line to improve their wellbeing.”

The Savvy Citizens site will be focussing on the issue of wellness from 11th January for 6 weeks and content will include tips and advice from experts.

11 January 2010

HEART UK backs Savvy Citizens campaign

The Chartered Institute for IT campaign highlights importance of accessing health information

HEART UK, the nation’s cholesterol charity, is supporting the Savvy Citizens campaign run by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, which aims to make people more aware of the value of information in their daily lives.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:
“Cholesterol is the single biggest risk factor for heart disease, the UK’s biggest killer. Yet just 36% of people use the online information resources available to manage their health*. Being better informed about your health can be an important step to living a healthier and happier life, which is why we are delighted to highlight the work on and off line which HEART UK does in this area.”

Michael Livingston, Director, HEART UK said:
“HEART UK provides a range of services and information designed to prevent premature death from high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. We recognise the need to promote lifestyle change, which is why we are happy to contribute to The Chartered Institute for IT’s campaign to make people more ‘information savvy’. For our part, Dr Sarah Jarvis, Chair of the HEART UK Health Care Committee, presents an invaluable clip about how people can manage their lifestyle to keep their cholesterol under control.”

Other health charities are partnering with the ‘Savvy Citizens’ campaign including the Men’s Health Forum. HEART UK provides a range of information and advice on its own web site http://www.heartuk.org.uk/index.php?/home/.
It has also contributed to the Savvy Citizens site http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/wellness.

8th December 2009

Crimestoppers supports Savvy Citizens campaign

BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, is proud to announce the support of the independent charity Crimestoppers for the Savvy Citizens campaign.  Crimestoppers will contribute to the safety section with a post on how to protect yourself from identity fraud.   This is part of The Institute’s strategy to get important third parties to contribute and share their knowledge and resources to help the public get savvier in how they use information and information technology.

Hannah Daws, Head of Communications for Crimestoppers, said:
“We believe that all communities have the right to live without crime so we welcome the Savvy Citizens campaign which enables people to make informed decisions about how they manage information to ensure that they are safe from those who prey on stealing our identities to fuel crime.”

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:
“We are proud to have Crimestoppers support for the Savvy Citizens campaign. BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, is committed to helping the public become savvier about how information is accessed, used and managed.”

Research suggests that significant numbers of people are still failing to take even basic precautions when it comes to staying safe online – for example by not using secure passwords or logging out of public computers (http://savvycitizens.bcs.org/research/).

Elizabeth continued: “Savvy citizens understand the importance of staying safe online and that is why we have chosen safety as the first theme to be featured in our campaign. The support of organisations such as Crimestoppers is invaluable in this”.

29th November 2009

Security remains key concern but Britons are still failing to protect themselves online

Most Britons (90%) are concerned about which organizations have personal information about them and how they use it, according to research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT as part of its Savvy Citizens campaign launched today. However, almost a third (29%) of respondents are failing to keep their personal data safe by using strong passwords and 43% still don’t logout of websites when using a public computer.

While the research indicated that some citizens are indeed becoming information savvy – for example over 3 in 5 have used a price comparison website or bought and sold products online, there are still serious gaps in the general level of savviness which must be addressed according to the Institute, and safety is one of those areas.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

“We live in an information society and those that don’t know how to use and manage information properly risk being marginalised. While privacy and trust are key issues for Britons who care which organisations have their personal data and how they use it, education is also vital. Unless all members of society are made aware of how they can access and use information in their daily lives, and how to stay safe when they do this, then a significant proportion of Britons will continue to miss out on the full benefits of information and information technology.”

More needs to be done to ensure that some citizens are not left behind as the information society gathers pace– 23% still believe that information technology has not improved their lives and 42% believe that websites like Facebook and Twitter are a waste of time.

Overall, most Britons (77%) think that they know how to use information technology to their best advantage. This is especially prominent for those that are male or in the 18-44 age group -unsurprising perhaps when this is the typical demographic for a Savvy Citizen – showing that a divide between the sexes and technology still persists.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“What is clear from the research is that although society as a whole is getting savvier, a significant number of people are still wary of information technology. Almost one in three (31%) claim that they do not trust the information that they read on the internet and the over 65s are particularly sceptical. It is vital therefore that citizens are informed about how information technology can improve their lives. Until this is achieved large sections of society are at risk of losing out ”

The Savvy Citizens campaign, including a new website, Savvycitizens.bcs.org, is designed to help people by signposting useful and expert sources of information and advice. It is hoped people will contribute to the site and share their knowledge.

Other results included:

An overwhelming 83% of citizens believe that information about public services should be more freely available.
Citizens are not making the most of the information available to them about the environment. Only 1 in 3 have researched environmental product information online or looked for information on how they can be greener, and just one in six have tried to calculate their carbon footprint online.
Britons are most savvy when it comes to culture. Almost 60% have used video on demand to view performances or artists, and 15% have published their own material on the internet. This equates to 8.97 million people that have used blogs and other forums to share their material with others.

Who is a Savvy Citizen?

Demographically, the Savvy Citizen, while by no means exclusively so, is more likely to be male, in the 18 – 44 age bracket and in full time employment, spending in excess of 10 hours a week on the internet and educated to degree level or about. A Savvy Citizen accesses the internet at home and frequently at work and is more likely to own new technologies such as smartphones and e-readers. Further information is available on how savviness was measured.
The Savvy Citizens microsite

To address some of these issues and help educate and inspire the general public to get the most from information, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT has launched the Savvy Citizens microsite (savvycitizens.bcs.org). The site is intended to provide a springboard for all citizens to get more from information. Expert advice as well as suggestions of useful external resources will be provided as the site covers eight topics in turn for six week periods: safety, wellness, citizenship, communication, culture, environment, commerce and work.

Find us on Facebook to take our quiz

Find us on Facebook to take our Savvy Citizens quiz to assess your level of savviness.

29th November 2009

Only 53% of Britons can name their MP

Chartered Institute for IT launches Savvy Citizens Campaign

Only 53% of the UK population know the name of their MP, according to research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, as part of the launch of a campaign called the Savvy Citizens.

The survey also shows:

83% want information about government and public services to be more freely available
48% have visited their local council’s website
31% have signed an on-line petition
Only 5% are members of on-line discussion boards

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

‘The Institute believes that information savvy citizens are critical to a successful information society. Unless all members of society are made aware of how they can access and use information in their daily lives, the significant proportion of Britons who are failing to realise the benefits of information technology will persist. This is not just a question of access: information Savvy Citizens should know how to use information in all areas of their lives including politics and citizenship. Education, attitude and skills are key if we want to create an information society with information Savvy Citizens.’

By analysing people’s behaviour and attitudes over 23 measures, the Institute has created what it sees as a ‘working description’ of what being an information Savvy Citizen looks like.

The research suggests that the public is becoming increasingly sophisticated in its use of information in some areas such as commerce, safety and culture. For example, over three in five have used a price comparison website, 71% make sure they use secure passwords wherever possible and almost 60% have used video on demand services. However, levels of savviness are lacking in other areas, most notably the environment: just one in six have calculated their carbon footprint online.

The Savvy Citizen is also more likely to own new technologies such as smartphones and e-readers and spends in excess of ten hours a week on the internet, which they will typically have access to both at home and at work.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“The research suggests that in some areas people are becoming savvier about the value of information. For example, nine out of ten are conscious and concerned about which organisations have their personal information and what use they make of it. But, at the same time, almost one third don’t take even basic safety precautions, like using strong passwords, to protect their identities”

29th November 2009

Women falling behind Men in the Information Society

Chartered Institute for IT launches Savvy Citizen website

Only 20% of the UK population are information ‘Savvy Citizens’, according to research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, suggesting the majority of the population are not benefitting from the full social, cultural and commercial benefits of the modern, information society.

While women appear to be benefitting less than men and are less likely to be information ‘savvy citizens’, according to research analysis conducted by Opinion Leader Research for the Institute.

The Chartered Institute’s research suggests:

Fewer women think technology has ‘changed their lives for the better’ (56% of women to 68% of men)
Fewer women think the internet ‘helps me to do my job better’ (54% of women to 67% of men)
80% of men use the internet to get information versus 60% of women
Women are less likely to use video sharing technology sites such as BBC iPlayer, Youtube to ‘view performances of favourite artists or programmes’ (64% of men and 49% of females questioned)

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:
‘Unless all members of society are made aware of how they can access and use information in their daily lives, the significant proportion of Briton’s including women will fail to realise the benefits of information technology. This is not just a question of access: information Savvy Citizens also know how to use information and information technology to their advantage: education is key.’

The research was commissioned as part of a campaign, including a new website, Savvycitizens.bcs.org, designed to help people by signposting useful and expert sources of information and advice. It is hoped people will contribute to the site and share their knowledge.

By analysing people’s behaviour and attitudes over 23 measures, the Institute has created a ‘working description’ of what being an information Savvy Citizen looks like.

Demographically, the savvy citizen, while by no means exclusively so, is more likely to be:

Male
In the 18-44 age bracket
Works at least 30 hours a week (or possibly a student, though numbers are small)
Spends 10+ hours on the internet per week
Degree or postgraduate educated
Accesses the internet at home and frequently at work (and generally has their own computer at work)
Is more likely to own new technologies such as smartphones and e-readers

Overall, the research suggests that the public is becoming increasingly sophisticated in its use of information in some areas such as commerce, safety and culture. For example, over three in five have used a price comparison website, 71% make sure they use secure passwords wherever possible and almost 60% have used video on demand services. However, levels of information savviness are lacking in other areas, most notably the environment: where research shows that just one in six has calculated their carbon footprint online.

29th November 2009

Britons failing to seek out and use environmental information

Few are acting as environmentally ‘Savvy Citizens’

Only one in three (33%) of the UK population have used the internet to research environmental product information or looked for information on how they can be greener, according to research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, suggesting the majority of the population might do more to understand and manage their environmental impacts. Only one in six have tried to calculate their carbon footprint on-line.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

‘Considering the high profile of climate change, it is surprising more people aren’t actively seeking out and using environmental information to make decisions about purchases or their own lifestyles. In other areas of their lives, people are more information ‘savvy’ so I hope our Savvy Citizens campaign encourages more people to seek out and use environmental information more often.’

By analysing people’s behaviour and attitudes over 23 measures, the Institute has created what it sees as a ‘working description’ of what being an information Savvy Citizen looks like.

Demographically, the gender divide still persists, results suggest that the Savvy Citizen, while by no means exclusively so, is more likely to be male, aged18-44, in full time employment and educated to degree level or above. The Savvy Citizen is also more likely to own new technologies such as smartphones and e-readers and spends in excess of ten hours a week on the internet, which they will typically have access to both at home and at work.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“In some areas people are becoming savvier about the value of information. For example, eight out of ten want information about public services to be more freely available and nine out of ten are conscious and concerned about which organisations have their personal information and what use they make of it.

But, at the same time, almost one third don’t take even basic safety precautions, like using strong passwords, to protect their identities. It is vital therefore that those citizens are informed about how information technology can improve their lives. Until this is achieved large sections of society are at risk of losing out. Education, attitude and skills are key if we want to create an information society with information Savvy Citizens.”

29th November 2009

Only 20% of Britons are ‘Savvy Citizens’

Chartered Institute for IT launches Savvy Citizens website

Only 20% of the UK population are information ‘Savvy Citizens’, according to research commissioned by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, suggesting the majority of the population is not benefitting from the full social, cultural and commercial benefits of the modern, information driven society. In fact, nearly one in four (23%) also believe that information technology has failed to improve their lives.

Elizabeth Sparrow, President, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said:

‘Unless all members of society are made aware of how they can access and use information in their daily lives, the significant proportion of Britons who are failing to realise the benefits of information technology will persist. This is not just a question of access: information Savvy Citizens also know how to use information and information technology to their advantage.’

By analysing people’s behaviour and attitudes over 23 measures, the Institute has created what it sees as a ‘working description’ of what being an information Savvy Citizen looks like.

The research suggests that the public is becoming increasingly sophisticated in its use of information in some areas such as commerce, safety and culture. For example, over three in five have used a price comparison website, 71% make sure they use secure passwords wherever possible and 60% have used video on demand services. However, levels of savviness are lacking in other areas, most notably the environment: just one in six have calculated their carbon footprint online.

Demographically, the gender divide still persists, results suggest that the Savvy Citizen, while by no means exclusively so, is more likely to be male, aged 18-44, in full time employment and educated to degree level or above. The Savvy Citizen is also more likely to own new technologies such as smartphones and e-readers and spends in excess of ten hours a week on the internet, which they typically will have access to both at home and at work.

Other results included:

People are not making the most of the environmental information available to them: only 1 in 3 have researched environmental product information online or looked for information on how they can be greener.
Britons are most savvy when it comes to culture. Almost 60% have used video on demand to view performances or artists, and 15% have published their own material on the internet. This equates to 8.97 million people who have used blogs and other forums to share their material with others.

Elizabeth Sparrow continued:

“The research suggests that in some areas people are becoming savvier about the value of information. For example, eight out of ten want information about public services to be more freely available and nine out of ten are conscious and concerned about which organisations have their personal information and what use they make of it.

Research

News

Consumers can do more to ensure their purchases and lifestyles are environmentally sound

Women missing out on money saving opportunities online

Chartered Institute for IT calls on public to embrace online cultural experiences

Government must safeguard investment in public service IT, say members of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

State has more data on citizens than necessary, say members of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says Digital Economy Bill must not be rushed

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT calls on young people to participate in the political process

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, urges citizens to get savvy before the general election

Nuffield Health backs Savvy Citizens campaign

Men’s Health Forum backs Savvy Citizens campaign

IT professionals urged to get fit in 2010