DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Know Your Rights & Responsibilities
Citizens of the world, unite!
The internet is a powerful, connecting force bringing humanity together like never before. It connects people of disparate ages, genders, nationalities, politics and opinions from around the globe. It's so easy to use that even a kid can do it! The anonymity of the web, though, makes the rights & responsibilities of participation in the online world hard to navigate. Here are some basics you need to know before joining the conversation:
FACT: You never really know who people are online
Being a responsible digital citizen means being honest online about who you are. You are entitled (even wise) to limit the personal details you share about yourself, but what you *do* choose to share should be true. Similarly, responsible citizenship requires understanding that others may not have been either so open or so honest, and proceeding with caution.
FACT: What you post reflects on you -- THINK!
Did you know that even looking at inappropriate images on your smartphone or computer can be illegal? Did you know that if you flip something to a friend, even as a joke, you can be found guilty of "trafficking" in illegal images, such as pornography? Think before you post, forward, comment, share, text or "like" -- just as you would before you speak about something in person. As my pre-internet Grandmother used to say, "Say what you mean, and mean what you say." It still holds true today.
FACT: The internet is a cultural construct
Responsible research used to be easy: If your source was a journal or news agency that was "refereed" (information vetted by a team of checkers) you were safe to rely on the information therein. The creative power of Web 2.0 tools, (e.g.,Wikepedia) is that authors & readers interact with the data and one another. Documents morph and change over time, as users participate with the source. Save URL links to sites you reference, and look into the author before you quote it, cite it, or rely on it in any significant way. Otherwise, it's no better than spreading a rumour.
REMEMBER: WHAT GOES ONLINE STAYS ONLINE
"What Goes Online, Stays Online" | @TorontoPolice | Youth In Policing Cyber-Smarts PSA
Rebecca Saha, Media Literacy/IT
Email: mediawithmssaha@gmail.com
Website: http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/fairbankmemorial/Home.aspx
Phone: (416) 394-2333
Twitter: @mediawithmssaha