TED ELAzIĞ COLLEGE / 10-A
Digital Citizenship
Arda GÜRSEL
With the introduction of computer technologies into our lives , we have entered another era in the history of humanity . As a result , our lives became integrated with the Internet . In this environment where we do our communication and shopping , we must be responsible and use them ethically , just like in daily life .
The educational Technology Presenter and Consultant Michael Ribble examined digital citizenship in 9 elements in his book “ Digital Citizenship in Schools : Nine Elements All Students Should Know ” ( 2007 ).
1 . Digital Access : It is the ability of individuals to access the Internet using technological tools .
2 . Digital Commerce : Shopping , money transfer and bank transactions in a secure manner , i . e , preventing fraud and other malicious behavior .
3 . Digital Communication : Individuals should respect each other for a healthy interaction such as sharing online , chatting with other people or expressing their opinions as comments .
4 . Digital Literacy : Checking the accuracy of the information and news on the Internet through reliable sources and being aware of them .
5 . Digital Etiquette : It is a digital citizenship dimension that expresses the use of the internet by digital citizens within the framework of ethical values , respectfully and empathetically .
Digital citizens are citizens who not only pay attention to respect and ethical values , but also warn their surroundings about these issues .
6 . Digital Law : It is the citizens awareness of the legal regulations brought about by the use of the Internet and the violations of the Internet that may be criminal , and acting accordingly .
7 . Digital Rights and Responsibilities : Digital citizens should know the legal consequences that should be known in the digital environment and prove the violations they witnessed to official institutions with documents .
8 . Digital Health : The use of digital devices for a long time causes some health problems , as well as mental health problems caused by unconscious Internet use . Consequently , the digital citizen can protect himself / herself from these situations .
9 . Digital Security : Citizens should be careful while using the Internet , downloading a program , trying to access information or sharing something . Furthermore , they should not share their passwords and private information .
To sum up , digital citizenship is a necessity of our age . It requires being conscious on the internet environment and being conscious of everything one does . If these are implemented , the Internet will be used efficiently and actively .