Digital Citizenship

I have often reduced reduced the definition of digital citizenship to netiquette. A site dedicated to this subject  (http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html) details nine elements associated with digital citizenship simplified in three dimensions under the REP concept to include even younger learners: Respect, Educate, Protect.

We often think of digital citizenry as in the context of learning only. Surfing the web opens a number of exchanges that touch on law, consideration for self and others, self-education and collaboration, self protection, care for one's health and other people's welfare ( bullying, for instance).

Schools, students and educators should familiarize with digital citizenship for the following reasons:

Authenticity of authorship

We often emphasize only academic integrity for grade purposes. We do not emphasize the pride of originality, the loss of respect (self) when a student copies another person's (classmate, online source). We get uncomfortable letting them know Turn it In matches their work with a source at a higher percentage than acceptable. All of us should appreciate every piece we write as a piece of art that reflects our creativity and authenticity, our signature in the immortal matrix of the Web catalog. Let our entry reflect our own voice as the picture we take reflects our own physical identity at a particular time in our growth. We stand a great chance at standing apart when we do, without dispute from the copy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klQrAxZIkx0

Leverage Technology for growth
In Business or learning environments, sharing knowledge is advantageous for all that participate in the quest. A culture of of exchange lifts all. Everyone feeds of each other. While Ryan Burton exalts leveraging technology in this blog of the same title http://www.mstech.com/nh-it-blog.php?show=204 ,  Kristen Purcell et al. expand more on it but focus more on teens. http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/11/01/how-teens-do-research-in-the-digital-world
 is an interesting read.


 Responsibility for self and others
Being connected to others exposes us to vulnerability. Recent reports of corporate hacking and piracy confirm the web brings a dual reality of benefits and unpleasant experiences, at the very least. Dangers range from terrorist recruitment, blackmailing, voyeurism, bullying. This report is a clear example of misuse of the web to torment others online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXNI55yv5f4 
Learning and teaching responsible use of technology should be part of the culture in any organization.
There is also the question of health for long exposure to screen. Sedentary life leads to obesity. Increasing reports also point to potential damage to the retina ( CBS news August 2015).

As we increase our consumption of technology, digital citizenship becomes a sine qua non subject to delve in for the welfare of our communities, academic, social or commercial.