Digital etiquette: Here’s how to raise a responsible netizen

Starting from online classes and games to social networking, millennial teens spend a lot of time in the virtual world. As kids interact more digitally, it becomes increasingly important not only to ensure their online safety, but also to empower them with appropriate netiquette and digital intelligence. Yes, your teen needs to learn a set of social, emotional and cognitive abilities to become a responsible netizen equipped to handle the demands of the ever-evolving digital space. As a parent, you need to impart these cyber skills to help your child thrive in the digital world.  

Creating an authentic digital identity 
Your kid needs to understand that there has to be a parity between what he does online and what he practises in real life. Difference in virtual and real-life behaviour is a phenomenon that makes the cyber space unsafe. So, it is crucial that you teach your child to be honest while it comes to his digital presence. This will help him build strong relationships.  

Maintaining privacy 
With time, the line between online and offline activity seems to be blurring. Starting from where we are dining out to the movie we are watching, everything is posted online. Teach your child to think critically about what she should and shouldn’t. She needs to know that it’s not okay to share someone’s picture online without their consent, divulge a friend’s secret, talk about personal issues on social media or sharing personal information (contact number, address, etc.) with an online friend.  This can be a good opportunity for you to explain to her the concepts of consent and privacy in general. All these will go a long way in helping your kid develop a well-rounded personality. Also, make sure that you practise what you preach. For example, always discuss with your daughter before sharing any of her photographs on your social media handles.  

Keeping social media posts neutral  
It is essential to encourage your kid to be sensible and sensitive about what he shares online. He should check for authenticity before sharing a post. Spreading rumours and gossips are inappropriate and may land him in trouble. Also, targeting anyone personally and being rude or sarcastic to them are a complete no-no. This falls in the category of cyber bullying. While teaching your child about the right digital etiquette, make him aware of the ways he can be victimised.  

Being cautious about messages 
Be it an instant message or an email, encourage your child think through before hitting the send button. While being polite with her online acquaintances, she should know when to refrain from a conversation and ways to respond to rude or mean messages. A big challenge of virtual messages is that they do not capture the tone or facial expression of the sender. So, teach your child to factor this in before messaging anyone.