Author: Nolan Editor: Tanner
March 24, 2009
Digital Responsibilities
Digital Responsibilities are ways to be responsible while you are online or when you are
using any other digital devices like cell phones. This includes using the internet and other digital
devices in a healthy way and knowing your laws and rights when using them.
By using the internet in a healthy way, you do not need to use it too much and get
addicted to it. Using the internet too much is not healthy. It can hurt your eyes and make you
feel tired during the day if you use it too much.
You also need to know your laws and rights when using digital devices. Digital rights are
the privileges and freedoms extended to all digital citizens. Using the internet is a privilege, but
there are good things and bad things that go along with it. Some digital rights are the rights of
privacy and free speech. Digital law is the electronic responsibility for actions which says if
something is ethical or unethical. Digital law deals with four main topics: copyright, privacy,
ethical issues, and piracy. Downloading music illegally on sites such as Limewire is one of the
biggest problems on the internet.
Digital Security and Safety
Digital Security and Safety is an issue that deals with a person’s well-being and safety on
a computer. Myspace and Facebook are two sites that can potentially be very dangerous.
Myspace and Facebook are two popular social networking sites that can be good if used in a
Author: Nolan Editor: Tanner
March 24, 2009
safe way. If you give out too much information like your address or your phone number or talk
to people you don’t know, predators could find you and hurt you. Cyber bullying is also a big
problem with kids online. Cyber bullying is when someone continuously makes fun of a person
online or picks on them by sending them mean or harmful emails. This mainly happens on sites
like Myspace and Facebook.
You also need to keep things like your password secure on the internet. To help keep
your password safe you need to pick a word for the password that is unrelated to you. If
someone was to get your password they could do some bad things with it like stealing your
identity.
Digital Commerce
Digital Commerce, also known as e-commerce, is the buying and selling of goods over
the internet. E-commerce has increased tremendously with the growing use of the internet.
There are many sites that involve digital commerce. Since most young kids can’t go online and
buy their own things, their parents usually go online and buy it for them. Some popular sites for
young kids are Webkinz, Shining Stars, Build A Bear Workshop, and Cabbage Patch Kids. Middle
and High School aged kids have a little more freedom with buying things online, but they still
usually have to use their parent’s credit cards. Some popular sites for these aged kids are
iTunes, eBay, and Amazon. Kids this age sometimes download programs like Limewire or
Frostwire so they can get music for free. This is illegal because they get the music without
having to pay for the copyright and if they get caught, they will get in a lot of trouble. Since
Author: Nolan Editor: Tanner
March 24, 2009
adults have their own credit cards, they deal with e-commerce more than teens and children.
Popular sites for adults are Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and many others.
Buying things online safely is very important. If you use a credit card you need to make
sure the website is safe. If you enter your social security number or your credit card number on
bad sites your identity can easily be stolen. The way you know a site is safe is if it is encrypted. If
it is encrypted, it will have https at the top instead of http. It is essential to make sure the site is
safe.
Outro
It is very important to understand Digital Citizenship and how it applies to you. Today
almost everyone uses technology in some way and many people depend on it. It is crucial to
use it properly and know what is safe and what’s dangerous and what’s wrong and what’s right.
Digital Citizenship is a great teaching tool for students and prepares them for the vast world of
technology.