Digital Citizenship

Once I was reading a book called "The Little Red Riding Hood." In it, a little girl was heading to her grandmother's house, and despite her mother's warnings not to talk to strangers, she did exactly the opposite. She spoke to the stranger, the wolf, without hesitation or assurance. She told the stranger of her whereabouts, and the stranger planned to attack her and her grandmother. You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this well-known story. Let me tell you that in the present scenario, the characters are the same in this story, but the settings have changed. Nowadays adults like you and me, as well as children, communicate with strangers on digital platforms. We share our personal information with the digital world without thinking twice, and we frequently fall into a trap. We teach our children about manners, etiquettes, safety, and other topics in the physical world, but what about the digital world, where we can't even see who is on the other side? I was wondering how I could assist my children in navigating the digital world, and then I came across the term "Digital Citizenship."

I first heard the term "digital citizenship" when attending a Liferarian Community School Library Course, and I'd like to share everything I've learned with you.

We've all heard of "citizenship." Merriam-Webster defines it as "the quality of an individual's response to participation in a community." The phrase "citizenship" brings to mind of responsibility, laws, regulations, and respect, etc. What about digital citizenship, though? Let's break it down:

What is Digital Citizenship

Applied Education Systems (AES) defines it as, “the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to engage with society on any level”.

Let's look at the tree model below to better understand digital citizenship and explore each layer:

Information Literacy:

Commonsense education defines it as “the ability to identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively”.

Who is Information literate person?

The person who:

ü uses Boolean search techniques to locate information from a range of sources, including print and digital sources.

ü critically examines material for relevance and reliability, checking authorship, date, copyright, about us, and other aspects of the searched resource (CRAAP Test).

ü uses information to solve a problem or answer a question.

ü uses information in a legal and ethical manner, giving credit to the source after quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing the information using citations style.

Technology Literacy:

Teachmint blog defines it as “the ability to use online tools and applications like social media, online banking, information networking sites, etc. to collaborate, share, create, enforce and enrich”. Let's break down technology literacy into two categories: digital literacy and media literacy:

Ø Digital Literacy:

“Digital literacy means being able to understand & use technology”, as defined by teachyourkidscode.com

Who is Digital literate person?

As a digital literate person, we should take following precautions:

§ To access and consume digital content:

ü use appropriate platforms and evaluate who developed the message and why.

ü what methods are being used to draw attention and where is the message being distributed?

ü learn how to spot suspicious statements and biased opinions, as well as how to evaluate the quality of charts, graphics, and other data sources.

§ To avoid cyberbullying:

ü make social media accounts private

ü use secure passwords everywhere.

ü personal Information should be kept private.

ü check what you're posting and sharing, especially the location.

§ E-safety: means be safe on internet or safe use of technology:

ü Digital footprints: it is the information about a specific person that has been left on the internet as a result of their online activities. However, take following precaution to avoid digital footprints:

Ø when utilizing public devices, log out.

Ø use fictitious or pseudonymous names.

Ø treat passwords as you would a toothbrush.

Ø don't disclose it, and change it frequently.

Ø create a realistic, secure image of yourself.

ü Phishing: is a type of social engineering attack that is commonly used to steal user information such as login credentials and bank details. We should take following measures to avoid phishing:

Ø protect your devices with security software, and

Ø protect your accounts using multi-factor authentication/security keys such as a passcode, fingerprint, or facial recognition.

Ø make a backup of your data and make sure it isn't connected to your home network.

Ø think before you click: Answer this question if you receive an email or text message asking you to click on a link or open an attachment: Do I have an account with the firm or know the person who contacted me?

§ Communicate effectively:

ü Be mindful of other people's opinions on the internet; your online voice is like a "digital tattoo" that will likely follow you for years.

ü Avoid engaging in conversation with online trolls or cyberbullies.

ü Exclamation points, uppercase letters, and even emojis can have completely different meanings depending on how they are used.

ü Check to see if you have permission to share other people's images, artwork, or music.

ü Do not take credit for the work of others. Using copyrighted material could have legal consequences.

ü Make your own investigation! Before sharing any content, use your critical thinking abilities to evaluate whether it is authentic or fraudulent.

§ Understand social responsibility: It refers to using technology in a responsible and productive manner for the benefit of oneself and others.

Ø Media Literacy:

The most commonly cited definition in the US is a simple sentence created by participants at the 1992 Aspen Media Literacy Leadership Institute: “Media Literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in a variety of forms.”

Who is Media literate person?

As a media literate person, we should take following precautions:

§ slow down in a fast-paced world: take time to understand the information we receive, backing it up with at least three other credible publications, we can start to break the bad habits of our speedy media consuming and sharing behaviour.

§ find the source(s): take the time to say, “Let’s see who else is saying this.” We should begin to break the bad habits of our speedy media intake and sharing by taking the time to evaluate the information we receive and verify it with at least three other reputable sources.

§ investigate media as a creator: learn to create, and to question what others have made, what we consume, and what we choose to share.

§ understand bias: knowing our own biases (which include our environment, hometown, race, gender, and family history) not only helps us understand ourselves, but it also helps us understand how we react to media and others.

ü Visual Literacy: According to Merriam-Webster, visual literacy is the ability to recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or images. A visually literate person is someone who can:

· evaluate the nature and extent of the visual materials needed

· effectively and efficiently find and retrieve needed images and visual media

· analyze and interpret the meanings of images and visual media

· evaluate images and their sources

· use images and visual media effectively

· develop and design meaningful images and visual media

· many of the ethical, legal, social, and economic issues that arise when images and visual media are created, accessed and used in an unethical manner.

ü News Literacy: According to Digital Resource Centre (DRC), news literacy is the ability to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports and information, whether they come via print, television, social media or the Internet.

· distinguish between journalism and other types of information, as well as between journalists and other information providers;

· distinguish between news and opinion in the context of journalism;

· evaluate and analyze news reports based on the quality of evidence offered and the credibility of sources, and to understand and apply these concepts across all news platforms;

· distinguish between news media bias and audience bias in a news report.

Ø Fake News: is the false or misleading information presented as news. It can be misinformation or disinformation.

Let’s follow the guidelines given below, to check whether the news or information or article we have received is fake or not:

· evaluate the source’s credibility

· check the source URL

· look for other reliable sources

· read past the headline

· check the publishing date

· read laterally to double-check facts

With the help of the above information, I believe that all of the points are interconnected, since each one tells us to be responsible and vigilant; analyze and evaluate information; avoid bias and cross-check information before sharing it; and give credit and respect to others. The way we must be vigilant in the physical world, in the same way we must be attentive and vigilant on the digital platform. So, my dear friends, digital citizenship necessitates a great deal of responsibility and awareness.