DIgital citizen

Why You Should Maintain Online Digital Etiquette

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Maintaining online digital etiquette is crucial in this day and age. TRW Consult writer tells us exactly why we should – and how we can do so. Understanding Digital Interaction The connective power of digital technology provides a guide for people to effectively navigate globally interconnected digital spaces in ethical and respectful ways. Digital technologies offer wonderful possibilities for people who can navigate online efficiently, communicate with people respectfully and access information responsibly. In a global digital age, members are expected to act according to norms and rules of interaction online in order to have a civil interaction. Ethics of Messaging and Commenting When you are interacting with others online, there are some commonly accepted rules for respectful communication known as digital etiquette. Digital etiquette is about remembering to humanize the person behind the keyboard and across the screen. It’s about being socially responsible and showing empathy and kindness. While this may sound obvious, it is not uncommon for people to forget that there is a human behind every comment or post on the web when they communicate. In order to maintain civil etiquette, ensure to reply as quickly as you can to sincere messages that are meant for your attention and which require your response. Give every message the required attention regardless of who sends them and irrespective of how it is coined. You need to respond with civility. You can use necessary and respectful ‘emojis’ if you cannot type a response immediately. Cultivating a wholesome habit of responding to messages as and when due says a lot about your person. If you didn’t need reactions in the first place, you probably wouldn’t have sent out the message. Also, the comments section on a video, post or blog is a space for people to exchange information, resources, ideas and feelings. It is a place for them to ask and respond to questions. If not for the comment section, the web would not have been a vibrant space.   Guides to Writing a Quality Comment      Add new factual information with little fun Make a connection with the writer Proofread your comment by dotting the I’s and crossing your T’s Compliment the writer in a specific way End with a relevant question; this will give your comment a better chance of getting attention and reactions.   Digital Footprints and Digital Identity You should be professional and respectful online because every time you connect to the Internet, you leave a trail of data referred to as ‘Digital Footprint’. A passive digital footprint is a data trail you unintentionally left online, for example your browsing history. An ‘active digital footprint’ includes data that is intentionally submitted online for posts and uploads. The collection of our active footprints, including writings, audio, video content, messages, comments and sign-in details, are searchable. The reflection of this data as it appears to others is called ‘Digital Identity’. Therefore, digital identity is also your digital reputation as it influences how you are perceived based on your online activities. It is important to create a positive digital identity because it: assists in the exchange of ideas and resources positively influences recruitment and admission creates fruitful personal and professional relationships makes an impact on a cause provides powerful learning opportunities While we aim to be 21st-century global citizens, we should always have it at the back of our mind that interaction in the digital space at any point in time is searchable. A digital footprint is searchable in the sense that anyone can search and still gets the information we posted even if it has been deleted at the backend of a website. Therefore, always think before you contribute or share sensitive and personal information online. Need help with maintaining a positive online reputation? Let us help you.   Temidayo Babatunde is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM) and can be reached via chatwitdayo@gmail.com.

How to Be An Effective Digital Citizen

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The digital space is a virtual community, but are you a good citizen of it? Citizenship confers special status on those that are qualified. It separates them from aliens, allowing them to fully associate with the aspirations and objectives of the community in question. A citizen enjoys the full privileges and benefits of their environment if they operate within the existing system as a bonafide member by abiding by the relationship standards. Some of the privileges you can enjoy as an effective citizen of a space include protection, security, rights and liberties that make it possible for you to fully express yourself. You will have the right to relate with other humans in the community and also fully utilise the opportunities of the space without putting yourself at risk. Old and young people today are growing up surrounded by technology but are often not very skilled at making good use of it. Although some people are comfortable using technology, they may use it inappropriately and may be unaware of how to harness the power and potential of technology to pursue their passions and contribute to their community. Based on this background, this write-up provides clues on how to build skills and the confidence to communicate with people respectively and responsibly in the digital space.   Elements of Digital Citizenship A scholar of emerging media, Mike Ribble, in 2015 named three elements of a good digital citizen. He also provided nine sub-elements as key indicators of an effective player in the digital space. The elements are as below: Respect yourself and others by: Observing digital etiquette in conducting yourself with orderliness and appropriateness online while avoiding tardiness Observing digital laws against damaging, stealing, phishing, poking others in the digital space Observing digital access of equal chance to available technology, since accessible technology involves finding alternative means by way of individual skill Educate yourself and connect with others by: Observing digital literacy of knowing the capability of using digital technology and knowing when/how to use it Observing digital technology of selecting appropriate options for communication Observing digital commerce for effective and informed consumers in a digital economy Protect yourself and others by: Observing digital health and wellness of understanding physical and psychological health, balance between the online and real world Observing digital rights and responsibilities of knowing about privacy, freedom of speech, ethics and             empathy in the digital space Observing digital security of protecting information and devices from malware, phishing, spam messages, keylogger, data or copyright theft Your digital footprint online is permanent and important. Permanent in the sense that it can be accessed. Your uploaded content might have been downloaded, screenshot, copied, or saved immediately you posted it by an end-user on a computer, phone, drive or cloud which could be recalled at any time. It also creates activities and forms your personality. So, while it is impulsive to want to break a news, it is also critical to restrain yourself by using the SIFT formular (Stop, Investigate, Find and Trace) method in order not to promote fear amongst your followers or other internet users by focusing only on the negative. Active and vibrant participation in the digital space opens up opportunities, connections and learning in the connected world. Being able to use digital technology has become an important function in our community and it is rapidly changing the way we interact. Digital technologies offer wonderful possibilities for people who can navigate online efficiently, communicate with people respectfully and access information responsibly. These online practices are part of what is known as Digital Citizenship.   TemiDayo Babatunde is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM). He can be reached via his LinkedIn (chatwitdayo@gmail.com).