It’s election season once more and it is important to emphasize that our modern world looks actually ready to face the challenge of holding an event of such magnitude amid the ongoing pandemic.
In this respect, digital technology plays a key role in providing possibilities and breakthroughs for this big activity to push through.
Milo Sandig, Chief Executive Officer of Digitalinnov Marketing, has an in-depth understanding of the significance of state-of-the-art technology when it comes to making truly workable what appears to be impossible to deliver in this time of global health crisis.
“Digital technology is at an all-time high as more and more screen times are recorded for each Filipino,” he said in a short discussion about his thoughts on this year’s national elections.
The Omicron surge may have for a while given an extra fear that the much-awaited plebiscite could possibly be canceled. We can only imagine the consequences of postponing a scheduled bout between democracy and perhaps something as bad as anarchy. But thank the heavens the level of advancement the world now has, which our country arguably manages to grip on to with considerable tightness, will have none of that threat.
One thing different about a 21st century pandemic is, we have the technology to embrace a new normal way of living through life without compromising the collective thrill and projected result of what should be allowed to happen.
Sandig explained, “As new variants emerge, we could expect lesser face-to-face interactions and more people resorting to digital alternatives to get their entertainment and messages across.”
Recent elections already made use of social media as a powerful tool in going inside the mind of the voters. But this year’s democratic exercise owes much to it more than ever. Whether convincing people who among the candidates are the most deserving to get elected or spreading false information in an attempt to woo the voting public by misusing the power of interconnectivity, digitized world’s game-changing platform can actually make or break a society.
It all boils down to the people if they will allow social media to dictate their thinking.
Part-businessman, part-innovator, Sandig sees that the proper way of dealing with a world gone digital is knowing its potential either way, whatever color it shows, and addressing it with the right mindset.
“Social media works in two ways, however,” he argued. “With how I observed things these past few years, digital technology has bred more people to be victims of misleading information. But we also cannot discredit the fact that there are people who became informed due to the emergence of getting readily available information right at their fingertips.”
The more glaring challenge is for those who can’t grasp the fast-changing technology to stop the process of adapting and insist on telling everyone that the world is far better sticking to the old ways. There is no choice but to embrace the new style and sensibility.
Sandig closed out, “Younger generations nowadays rarely open traditional media, unlike its predecessors. They source their information from social media and engage their opinions from forums and groups where they belong. If next-in-line leaders don’t prioritize the main medium where people can be communicated to, then there will be a strong disconnection from getting their message across.”