Digital Citizenship
What is Digital Citizenship?
Keep Your Student Safe Online
Keeping our students safe is always a top priority for WSD3. Use the resources below to help keep our students safe while online.
- Common Sense - Nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all kids thrive in a world of media and technology. Parents can find extended resources and other information to help students be safe and wisely use the internet in their lives.
- Be Internet Awesome - Be Internet Awesome teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence. Parents can help their student play a series of games that teach the fundamentals to safely navigate the internet.
- FBI Kids Safety
- NetSmartz
- Safe, Smart, & Social - App Guides for Parents
- Cyberwise
- KEEP YOUR DATA AND THE DATA OF OTHERS PRIVATE.
- Never share your passwords with others (however, parents should know their kids’ passwords).
- Always logout of computers and online systems you’ve logged into (email, file storage, social media, etc.); closing the browser window is not the same as logging out.
- While logged in, never leave your computer/device unattended.
- Do not use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks commonly found at restaurants, airports, and other businesses
- Do not post information about yourself online (address, phone number, school, pictures, etc.)
- PROTECT YOURSELF
- Do not communicate online with people you do not know.
- Never share your name, age, school, address, phone number, pictures or other personal information online.
- Your online actions and posts are traceable; you are NOT anonymous while online.
- Ask yourself: “Would I want this information to become known to the public?”
- Ask yourself: “Would I be doing this if my parents were watching?”
- MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BALANCE; LIMIT YOUR TIME SPENT ON COMPUTERS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
- Do you frequently find that you have spent more time online than you were planning to spend?
- Are you online late into the night and then tired?
- Do you spend time online instead of doing homework, hobbies, chores, physical activities, or spending time with friends or family?
- Are you always thinking about being online?
- Do you argue about time limits your parents have set for Internet use? Or use sneaky ways to get around these limits?
- HELP PREVENT CYBERBULLYING.
- Cyberbullying (also called cyber harassment) is sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else
- Don’t be a cyberbully. People do not “deserve” to be treated badly. It is not “funny.”
- It may feel easy to post negative and mean things about someone else because you are online, but remember these are REAL people where there can be real consequences
- Don’t become a cyberbully to get back at someone who is bullying you. This will just make the problem worse.
- If you made a mistake and hurt someone, apologize.
- Calm down before you respond to someone.
- DON’T RETALIATE! The bully wants to make you mad. Don’t give the bully a “win.” Being mean back isn’t going to help.
- Save the evidence and get help from an adult.
- BE A GOOD DIGITAL CITIZEN.
- Use devices and social media websites for good and positive things, not for negative and harmful activities.
- Abide by all laws and rules.
- Do not use the works (images, writings, recordings, etc.) of others illegally or without permission.
- Remember that words can and do hurt others, even when reading them online.
- Treat others with respect.
Be Informed
It is vital to read information on the internet that is factual and up-to-date. Here are some resources that can help you fact check important information.
- Truth or Fiction - Quickly and easily get information about eRumors, fake news, disinformation, warnings, offers, requests for help, myths, hoaxes, virus warnings, and humorous or inspirational stories that are circulated by email.
- Snopes - A website that researches urban legends and other rumors. It is often the first to set the facts straight on wild fake news claims.