Responsibility Blog

Digital Citizenship

By Kathy Brown | July 8, 2009

The United States Department of Education publishes a solid document that carefully discusses how to teach children the values and skills needed to become a responsible citizen. Much of it is based on building strong character and having respect for others.

Just as these building blocks are essential to a healthy lifestyle for children in the “real” world, they are crucially important to championing the ins and outs of the online world. That is why “digital citizenship” is a term with which Verizon is acutely aware and is an active participant.

A report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project entitled, “Generations Online in 2009,” says that 93% of kids 12-17 are online. While that is certainly a staggering statistic, it’s not a surprising one in an age where the Internet, portable game players, cell phones and other mobile technology has become the backdrop for today’s youth to play, gather information and otherwise interact.

Stating the obvious, young people are actively participating in the digital arena as a way of life. There should be a means for teaching digital citizenship that parallels the expectations we hold for them in the offline world.

Common Sense Media has proposed four core strategies on this point that make good sense:

• Redesign education to include digital literacy and citizenship in every school in America;
• Disseminate a basic curriculum that defines the standards of ethical behavior on digital platforms – for students, parents and educators;
• Educate and empower teachers so that they can understand and teach digital literacy and citizenship; and
• Educate and empower parents about technology and important behavioral guidelines involving the use of digital media.

A curriculum that comingles digital citizenship with traditional subjects is a worthwhile undertaking of our nation’s education system—and something Verizon would strongly support.