Being a Good Digital Citizen

Students will discuss what it means to be a good digital citizen, why digital footprints are important, and learn strategies to help determine what is appropriate to post on social media.

Materials

• Handout: Rules of an Active Conscience
• Handout: Social Media – To Post or Not To Post

Large Group Discussion Prompts

• What does it mean to be a good digital citizen?
  • Safely and responsibly use technology
  • Use technology to advance social and civic causes
  • Treat other users with respect
• What is a digital footprint?
  • The permanent records of what we have shared online.
• Why is it important to be a good digital citizen/have a positive digital footprint?
• Share these examples of negative digital footprints:
  • Harvard rescinded 10 offers of enrollment for students who posted explicit and racist pictures on social media.
  • A woman tweeted a racist post about her trip to Africa when she boarded the plane. She was fired by her boss before the plane landed.
  • Students photoshopped an unflattering picture of a teacher and posted it on the Internet. The students involved were suspended, legal charges were filed, and the students faced five years in jail and a $10,000 fine. 
  • A woman posted a picture of herself dressed as a Boston Marathon Bombing victim to Instagram for Halloween. She was fired because of the insensitive nature of the post.
  • Students posted a meme making light of gun violence at school, and they were arrested. Students who liked the post were suspended.

Small Group Discussion Prompts

• Discuss how the Rules of An Active Conscience can help you decide what to post on social media.
• Read each social media post on the To Post or Not To Post Handout and determine which of the Rules of Active Conscience it breaks.

Journal

• Google yourself.
• What did you notice about your digital footprint?
• What can you do better or differently to manage your digital footprint?