Digital Citizenship is the norms of appropriate, responsible and healthy behavior with regard to technology use.

The Digital Citizenship Project is a program designed to educate school faculty, students, and parents on how to promote and engage in good digital citizenship.

There are many aspects of the digital realm that can be problematic for the average young adult. Unfiltered web content, the public and permanent nature of digital footprints and the promotion disinhibited and impulsive behavior, make the digital realm a high risk environment for problematic and self-destructive behavior. Children that are afforded the opportunity to be educated and prepared for the digital realm will be more successful in navigating and maximizing the opportunities that technology has to offer, while reducing its consequences and pitfalls.

Much in the same way we would not hand over the keys to a car without preparation and training, we should not hand over the keys to technology without doing the same.

Internet safety is only one aspect of digital citizenship. The availability and affordability of electronic devices such as cell phones, gaming devices, MP3 players and even web-enabled cameras, make digital safety and responsibility an even more prevalent issue. While exposure to inappropriate web content can have damaging effects, the impact on communication, socialization, psychological well-being and real world interactions, can be equally problematic. Digital technology impacts individuals socially, psychologically and behaviorally as well as generates real world consequences from online behavior.

While technology offers much in the way of accessibility and communication, it is also the breeding ground for negative social interaction including cyber bullying, aggression, texting addiction, artificial relationships, social isolation and qualitatively diminished real world social interactions.

There exists a negative correlation between degree of technology engagement and subjective well-being. The higher degree of engagement with and dependence on technology the more likely a person is to experience anxiety and depression. One study found that students that reported a high degree of dependency on their cell phones, also had higher rates of anxiety and lower grades. Other psychological issues associated with technology include, addiction, insomnia and traumatic symptoms as a result of exposure to graphic content.

The Digital Citizenship Project educates and empowers school faculty and parents in the issues that surround technology and better prepares them to support and supervise their children’s use of technology. For students, The Digital Citizenship Project educates in how to navigate the digital realm and maximize what technology has to offer, while minimizing its negative impacts.

For more information on the Digital Citizenship Project click here.