Being a Good Digital Citizen

When thinking about being a good citizen, what comes to my mind is voting in the elections, being polite to your neighbors, and not littering. Being a good digital citizen is different. There are 9 different parts of digital citizenship according to this article. They are access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health and wellness, and security. The elements that I think are most important are communication and etiquette. Technology is all about creating new things and sharing them on the internet to have a conversation. Etiquette and communication go hand in hand because it is important for students to use the internet appropriately to communicate with their peers.

Cyberbullying is very prevalent in this society and teaching kids the right way to use the internet and what to do in a situation with a cyberbully is important. I personally have experienced someone commenting something hurtful on a picture online. The way I dealt with it was just ignoring it and forgetting about it. It doesn't really bother me anymore and I don't usually think about it. However, maybe I should have reported this person or told an adult about it. That's why it's important to teach students about what to do in a situation like this so that maybe a cyberbully can be stopped from hurting someone else.

I think that digital citizenship is important in both my personal and professional life. In a way, they are both connected. The PSA "Think Before You Post" shows how anything you post online can be seen by anyone. This means that employers can search you up to see what you've posted online. That's why personally, I make sure that what I'm posting is appropriate and is something that I wouldn't be ashamed to show a future employer.

Technology is everywhere nowadays and it's not going away anytime soon. This is why it is crucial for teachers to make sure that their students know how to use technology safely and responsibly.