5 Must-Read Digital Citizenship Quotes!

Hey there! Thanks for joining me for this week’s special blog post!

Today, I had the honor of conversing with a bio-engineering student at Stanford who was describing her action-packed, dramatic (like any other high-schooler rushing to catch the lingering deadlines) senior-year application process to me. She described how her essay revolved around her experiences with social media through the high’s and low’s of high school and how much of an impact it had on her life. She novelized about how she saw before her how social media had the potential to be used negatively, that the posts that had stopped her from opportunity and taken away distinguishments, also taught her a valuable lesson about using social media for social good.

However, the disparity was vast, and is one learned by her, from a life-lesson that she now laughs at her high-school self about, and for us, through listening to these experiences, and spreading these important concepts to all device-users around us.

1. Data is Everywhere. Just by simple searches on a search engine, one can, if they really wish, piece together your identity. Why? Corporations use all this data about you to tailor ads that are of your interest, that you are more likely to click on. For this reason, we need to make sure we make our best effort to 1. conserve our privacy as much as we can control. Protect your privacy for you and others! 2. Make the information that IS online about us, positive.
   

   Source: BAM! Radio Network, Google Images

2.  Respect for opinions. Especially on online forums, YouTube videos, and even on social media, we have free speech capabilities. With this freedom, comes the responsibility to give respect. Of course, with more than 7 billion humans in the world, we will not always agree on everything. Like a crazy boardroom meeting, we have to learn to listen to views. The way we earn respect is by giving it!
   

   Source: Google Images

3. Digital First Impressions: What we post; the images, the articles, and the content we “file” under our name is forever a part of your digital footprint. It becomes increasingly important to remember that the information that you place on the internet, determines the impression that viewers, whether employers, teachers, or even your grandma, get from you! Here’s the reality: Nothing EVER goes away once it is somehow posted on the Internet. If you see someone close to you posting something that you believe hurts their digital footprint, always give them a heads-up. Help each other out as a community of internet-users.
   

   Source: YouTube, Google Images

4.  Smart Actions Online: Know when you’re uncomfortable talking online, and in recognizing this, know that there is always a way out! Never talk to strangers online, friend unknown faces, or agree to something that is better if communicated over voice or face-to-face. The things that are NOT said in an online conversation are feelings of the two parties and emotion. If this emotion is “un-comfort” or knowing that you are doing something risky, plan your “get-away” or brainstorm other solutions!
   

   Source: Roots of Action, Google Images

5. We are all passing notes & sometimes, we really need the teacher to stop us. Online, everything spreads quickly, and there is no hiding from the data once it is out. Through the grapevine the information goes, whether it be rumor, gossip, or real. They all travel the same way, so it is up to us to decide what to pass on (what image do we want to set for ourselves), what to tattle-tale the teacher about (reporting fake news!), and when to be the teacher, informing another party about their digital footprint.  Love the classroom incorporation with this quote as well!

   

   Source: Quotesgram, Google Images

   On April 12th, 2o17 (Wednesday), from 7:00-8:30 at Shepard Middle School, DPS109 will be hosting a DPSS Parent Engagement Program all about Tech and the truth about a child’s digital footprint. Representing Bits n’ Bytes Cybersecurity, I will be the keynote speaker, as well as be presenting to two small groups focusing on my perspective, as a high-schooler, growing up in the digital age. Please join us, as this post was just a preview of an incredible assortment of incredible topics and speakers who will be presenting at the event! We would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have regarding digital citizenship as well! #havethetalk

   As always, stay safe & always be a cautious computer wizard!

Sincerely,

Detective Safety