Digital Citizenship and Information Technology

It is an unsophisticated fact that once information has been put into the digital world, it is public and permanent, whether you believe it or not. Free and low-cost digital tools allow students to create/write blogs, share their photos and artwork on social media, design videos and grow a YouTube following, and participate in projects with peers around the world. The articles used in this essay are Info graphic: Citizenship in the digital age by: Diana Fingal, Plugged in parents by: Common sense media, Are you practicing ethical digital citizenship? by: Rashmi.

The online world has many good advantages and bad risks. A good digital citizen will make sure to think about what they post online and keep away from creepy sounding people. Be safe. Being safe online is a whole topic, much different from being a good digital citizen”and with much different ramifications. It's crucial not divulge any personal information, passwords, addresses, etc. with someone you don't know. For more detailed information on Internet safety tips, read our blog post about keeping kids safe online. Don't say anything online you wouldn't say to someone's face. An online comment can be even more hurtful than a face-to-face insult, because once something is written the person can read it repeatedly. Sometimes, we find it easier to reply with negative comments when the person is not right in front of you and you can hide behind your computer or smartphone. Don't be tempted; think twice about what you are saying before you post or send, and ask yourself, Would I say this to someone if they were standing in front of me?

Treat others the way you want to be treated. This sounds basic, but it's probably the one piece of digital etiquette advice that is broken the most. Keep your comments positive; be truthful, and polite. If you want to go the extra mile, acknowledge when someone has been helpful; thank them, and pay it forward! Don't share anything you don't own, without permission. All content was created by someone, and that person owned their content. This includes articles (and ANY portion of articles), photos, memes, reports, blogs, and anything else online that wasn't created by you. Be aware of copyright laws, ask permission before you share, and be sure to give credit if you reuse or re-post an article or picture you didn't create. Know the rules. Whether you're using classroom forums, Twitter, Facebook, or other sites, know the site's rules and guidelines”and follow them. Each community creates their own rules that they expect users to follow, which can usually be found in the Site Rules or About Us section.

Don't believe everything you read. Not everything online is true. In fact, there's a lot online that's not true. Before believing (or sharing!), dig deeper. Search for facts. Just because it's written online doesn't mean it's true. Be vigilant. If you saw something happen in real life where someone could be harmed, you'd call for help, right? If you see something online that may be harmful to someone else, report it to the site's authorities, or an adult you trust. With cyber bullying and online predators, we cannot be too careful these days, and we all need to look out for each other. Be vigilant. If you saw something happen in real life where someone could be harmed, you'd call for help, right? If you see something online that may be harmful to someone else, report it to the site's authorities or an adult you trust. With cyberbullying and online predators, we cannot be too careful these days, and we all need to look out for each other.

Being safe in the digital world is very important, it can follow you for the rest of your life. I have learned to not make myself a bad digital footprint and post anything I would regret later and to treat people how you would want to be treated. My online behavior will change, and I will now watch what I post and say online.

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