LESSON 1 : Characteristics of Good Digital Citizens

What is a Digital Citizen? Is it a person who lives in a digital world or is it a digital person
who somehow lives like a normal person in a specific place? What does the citizenship of
those citizens entails? Well, let us take a look and learn what does it mean and what are the
different characteristics so that one may be considered as good digital citizens.

Digital Citizen
o is a person that adheres to guidelines that govern the ethical and
responsible use of technology and acts responsibly in all relationships and
interactions in the digital world.

Digital Citizenship
o is an idea that all persons using the internet have civic rights and
responsibilities.
Now that the Idea regarding what does digital citizen and its citizenship means, the next
question that might come up is that how does one become a good digital citizen? this question
arises since there could be a lot of ways to become one. Let me present to you some of the
characteristics.
1. Being confident and capable of using information communication technologies.
2. Using technology to participate in educational, cultural, and economic activities
3. Developing and using critical thinking skills in cyberspace
4. Using technology to relate to others in positive, meaningful ways
5. Respecting the concepts of privacy and freedom of speech in a digital world
6. Contributing to and actively promoting the values of digital citizenship
Here are some ways where we can practice some of the characteristics mentioned.
1. Think before you post
o With social media, it can be easy to share things behind a screen that you might not feel
comfortable saying in real life.
o While using online platforms, a simple question to ask yourself is ‘Would I say this in
person?’ whether it be in a meeting, attending a class or chatting with a friend
o A good digital citizen should consider this perspective in order to build a strong, well-
balanced presence.
o 2. Avoid oversharing

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