TED ADANA COLLEGE / 10-C
Digital Citizenship
Emirhan Tasouji
In our fast-paced society , where constant change is at the centre of our lives , the term ‘ digital citizenship ’ has now became one of the fundamentals of the 21 st century . To get a solid grasp of the subject , we must first cognize what it means . Digital citizenship is a skill set that ensures the ethical , responsible and safe way of engaging with the global web . As the threats and hazards of the online environment are now at an all-time high , according to the projections it is set to be greater as time passes . For this particular reason alone , we can see how crucial it is . So , how can we , as ordinary users of the web , become digital citizens ?
The initial way is empathy . The Internet consists of a diverse user base that is made up of hundreds of cultures and languages generating a colourful community , which is why we must appreciate everyone without any segregation . Not just about ethnicity , but we must also regard the mental situation and the maturity of people by not making any harsh judgements and prejudices .
The second is abiding by the digital and international law which protects the minorities ( COPPA Act ) and prohibits any illicit and unlicensed copying and downloading of any intellectual property as well as banning people from generating computer viruses and hacking . Another thing we should consider is digital security which paves a way to the safety of our online presence . An important step for it is securing passwords , having virus protection installed in electronic devices , and backing up data to prevent information losses .
The last concept of digital citizenship is the rights and responsibilities of which every world wide web user has to follow . An important aspect of the Internet is to have freedom of speech that everyone has the right to do so , which is the reason why it is our responsibility to ensure the continuity of it .
To conclude , being a digital citizen plays a key role in interacting with others on the Internet in a safer way .