Citizenship in the digital era
In this info sheet
Screens are part of the way of life for many young people. As a parent, you can guide your teen and help them develop citizenship in the digital era. Citizenship in the digital era means the ability to:
- Adopt respectful behaviours online.
- Recognize online disinformation and fraud.
- Apply online safety principles.
- Make balanced use of screens.
Whether online or offline, we all have rights and responsibilities!
To better understand
The digital world: an environment where youth develop.
Whether at school or at home, the digital environment is very much a part of young peoples’ lives. With just a few clicks, teens can:
- Find information on the Web.
- Browse various sites.
- Socialize on social networks.
- Play online games.
- And more.
On line, teens express their opinions, interact with other teens and may even form new relationships. The virtual world is an environment in which teens evolve and have diverse experiences.
The digital world: benefits and challenges!
The digital era offers numerous benefits. It allows access to a multitude of information in just a few clicks. It also makes it fast and easy to get in touch with friends. It can allow young people to stay connected with their family and their peers, regardless of where they are. In the virtual world, teens can also explore and assert their identities. Through the digital environment, young people can communicate and create connections, for example, through social networks.
However, using the Web involves some challenges. For example, young people do not necessarily have access to the reactions of the other person when they are talking online, which can complicate communication. And the digital environment may give the impression of being anonymous, while in reality, everything young people do online leaves a trail. It can also be difficult for teens to recognize disinformation. Finding a balance in their use of screens can also be a challenge for young people. On top of that, some people with malicious intent can get in contact with teens. Young people may also have to deal with cyberbullying (for more information on cyberbullying, see our info sheet on the topic).
Citizenship in the digital era: a skill to be developed.
The digital environment may therefore be a source of concern for parents. Some parents wonder about, among other things:
- What is my teen looking at on the Web?
- What information are they sharing?
- Who is my teen talking to on the Internet?
- Is my teen a witness or victim of cyberbullying?
These questions are entirely legitimate. But rest assured! As a parent, you can guide your teen and help them develop citizenship in the digital era. Citizenship in the digital era refers to several skills, including the ability to:
- Adopt respectful behaviours online, both towards other surfers and the documents consulted. It’s important to respect copyrights and the intellectual property of tools available on the Web!
- Protect their personal information, in particular by recognizing the various types of fraud and by controlling access to their data through apps.
- Use their critical judgment when it comes to information found on the Web to recognize disinformation.
- Make balanced use of screens for their physical and psychological well-being.
In the next section, we’ll offer some tips to support your teen’s development of citizenship in the digital era.
To better support
Communication
- Help build your teen’s awareness about the importance of speaking and behaving respectfully online. Make a parallel between online activities and offline activities. Would it be appropriate to say that or behave that way with someone at school? These principles also apply to the virtual environment. Make your teen aware of the repercutions of what they say or do in the digital environment; in just a few clicks, it can go around the world.
- Explain to your teen that there are limits to freedom of expression. When what is said or done harms or is likely to harm another person or group of individuals, that’s never acceptable. To learn more about the limits of freedom of expression, read the article What is Freedom of Expression? from Éducaloi or watch their video Freedom of Expression and the Internet.
- Have a conversation with your teen about protecting their personal information. Explore with your teen:
- What information do they consider “private”?
- In their opinion, what information would it be appropriate to share on social networks? Why?
- What are the terms of use of an app? Does this app request access to your teen’s microphone and pictures? What’s at stake by authorizing access to this information?
This way, you will develop your teen’s critical thinking and help them think about their personal limits and protecting their private life. Also remind your teen that it’s important to obtain the consent of everyone who appears in a post before making it public.
- Share with your teen various ways of increasing their online security (for example, don’t share passwords, just accept people they know on social networks, get informed about the various types of fraud so they are able to recognize them, only download documents or videos from reliable and secure sites, etc.). We present a few in our video on this topic; don’t hesitate to watch it!
Supervision/Guidance
- Have a conversation with your teen about their online activities while respecting their privacy. Show an interest in the sites and social media your teen uses and talk to them about their online habits. For example:
- Who are the people with whom your teen communicates online?
- What type of content do they consult and share on social networks?
- How much time does your teen spend online in a day?
- Program various parental controls, in particular to limit your teen’s exposure to age-appropriate content. Before doing this, talk to your teen about these parental controls and why you want to program them. For more information, see the Info Sheet PAUSE on this topic (French only).
Support
- Help your teen discover the digital environment to make sure they’re browsing safely. Explore the various apps your teen uses and set the security and privacy settings together. To support you with this, we have developed online safety tutorials!
- Give your teen tools related to disinformation. Have a conversation with your teen: What do you consider a reliable source of information? Explore various sites and together, try to distinguish true from fake news. To support you with this, see the PAUSE Info Sheet on this topic.
- Help your teen manage their emotions and develop their empathy. Ask your teen to calm themself down before reacting on social media and remember that there’s a person behind the screen.
- Empower your teen to intervene in situations of abuse and/or bullying in the digital world, including sextortion and non-consensual sharing of intimate pictures (for example, report the post, express their disagreement, tell a trusted adult, etc.).
- Offer your teen your support if needed. Be alert to signs that could indicate that your teen is going through a difficult situation related to their use of the digital environment. For example, if your teen:
- Shows signs of agitation when they receive a message on their telephone.
- Finds it difficult to stop playing online games.
- Sees their social relationships deteriorate in connection with their use of screens.
Direct your teen towards the appropriate resources based on their needs (for example, Tel-jeunes, school counsellor, family doctor).
At home
- Establish a climate of openness and non-judgment at home. This way, your teen will be more likely to ask you for help if they need it.
In brief
- In short, when you guide your teen in developing their digital citizenship, you are equipping them in many areas :
- Online safety;
- Respect for private life;
- Kind online behaviour;
- Developing their critical judgment;
- Adopting a balance between their screen time and other areas of their life;
- And even more!
Resources and practical tools
For support
General resources
If you are concerned about a situation, do not hesitate to reach out to a support worker or a healthcare professional:
Specialized resources
Certain addiction prevention organizations in the Montérégie (OPDM) offer services related to youth and screen use. See the territory map to identify which OPDM is located in your sector.
In the case of non-consensual sharing of intimate pictures: NeedHelpNow.ca: info for parents
To learn more
References
- Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur. (2019). Cadre de référence de la compétence numérique. Gouvernement du Québec.
- Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur. (2018). Plan d’action numérique en éducation et en enseignement supérieur. Gouvernement du Québec.
- Petit, B. (2018). Développer la citoyenneté à l’ère du numérique. Portrait de la situation au Québec et recommandations.
- RECIT. (s.d.). La citoyenneté à l’ère du numérique.
This info sheet has been produced with the financial support of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and has been written in collaboration with:
- Éric Haineault, academic advisor at the Centre de services scolaire des Grandes-Seigneuries
Latest updates : august 2024
Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.