Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers, technology leaders, and parents talk about what all users should know regarding appropriate technology use. Digital citizenship has several facets: repeat, protection, and education, to name a few. It is important for all parent to know that they need to play a key a role in their children's presence online. Many children with to much freedom on the internet are more prone to stumbling upon things they do not know how to process yet. This means, that until your child and you have decided that they are old enough and responsible enough, they should not be using the internet with out parent/guardian supervision. This may seem excessive, but with all the scams, predators, and graphic content available to anybody at the push of a button, it is difficult to control how quickly your child grows up these days. Here are some easy tips for adults teaching children how to become safe and responsible digital citizens (if tips are in "", they are primarily for children, but tips apply to all):
"If you have to ask yourself if you should be looking at something or searching for something, you most likely should not be doing so."
For parents, if you cannot personally supervise online time, you can easily set security settings that will not allow certain ties to be viewed with out a password. Try not to get carried away with this one.
"Do not accept or request to be friends/follow whatever, anyone that you do not already know." This is often how children fall victim to predators and scams alike.
"Do not say anything to anyone online that you would not want someone to say to you; do not say anything to anyone online that you would not feel comfortable saying face to face. " In other words, treat everyone with respect.
Use the web to educate yourself instead of wasting your time. There are thousands of educational and current event sources online and it is a shame to spend all of your online time on social media or gaming.
Do not give away ANY personal information to anyone with out the consent of a parent,guardian, or spouse. Identity theft is on the rise and their have even been reports of finger prints being lifted from "selfie" peace signs, what Im saying is, be careful. Identity thieves rarely care who their victim is.
To avoid further thieves, try not to post things about going away for the weekend, or telling your merry followers where you are going to be all the time, while this seems a bit extreme, if you have been lazy about allowing strangers to view your posts, thieves may follow your day to day actions to know when you leave the house so they can make their move.
"It is very important for you to follow the "Acceptable Use Policy" they follow at school consistently everywhere, it will keep them safe and responsible."
There are dozens, maybe hundreds of websites like mine that provide additional information, quizzes and games for children and parents alike. What usually leads to problems online is a parental ignorance towards things that children can and want to view online. It is crucial for parents to talk with their children about what is right, and what is wrong in order to understand and trust what they will being doing on the tretcherous seas that are the internet.