Being a Good Digital Citizen

Being a Good Digital CitizenBy Todd BennettWhat does it mean to be a good digital citizen?NetiquetteFair Use and CopyrightPlagiarismSafety ComputerInternetPart 1Netiquette NetiquetteDictionary.com defines netiquette as the rules of etiquette that apply when communicating over computer networks, especially the internet.

netiquette. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/netiquette

4Rules of NetiquetteAccording to David Chiles of networketiquette.net, the top ten rules of netiquette are:Spell check & proof read messages. Do not write in all capital letters. Tell the truth in your profiles. Be yourself online. Do not send personal insults (Flames). Stay away from spam. Be conservative in email you send and liberal in email you receive. Do not send email late at night.Shop secure web sites (https://). Information on the internet is public. Use discretion when creating account profiles

Chiles, D. (2006). The rules of netiquette. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.networketiquette.net/ 5Spell-checkAlways make sure that you check the spelling of everything you send over the internet.

It is not uncommon for people to not know how to spell, but everything that is electronically transferred has spell-check and not using it just a sign of laziness and a lack of respect for your recipient. Writing in All Capital LettersWriting something in all capital letters on the internet is intended to show that you are shouting.

If you e-mail something to someone in all-caps, it is the equivalent of screaming it at them.Tell the TruthAlways tell the truth in your digital profiles (Facebook, Myspace, etc.)

Little lies are still lies and lying is not only dishonest and a general waste of time, but it is also illegal and can result in embarrassment for you than telling the truth.Be yourselfMake sure you are always yourself online.

Pretending to be someone you are not to get friends will not get you the kind of friends you really want. Also, pretending to be someone else to make fun of them could be construed as cyber bullying. Do Not InsultDo not use the internet as a bullying tool.

The internet can be an anonymous way to post nasty comments about someone you dont like, but it is not a nice thing to do.

Cyber bullying can get you in a lot of trouble. Nothing is anonymous on the internet. Everything you post can be linked back to the exact place and computer you posted it from. SpamKeep away from spam e-mails and messages.

Do not open anything that sounds too good to be true. You didnt win any prize, that girl really doesnt want to talk, that Nigerian dictator doesnt really want you to watch his money from him.

Dont forward anything that looks suspicious to anyone. Doing this in a business setting could cause a widely spread virus and termination of the source (you).E-mailIf you need to e-mail someone, say everything you need to say in one e-mail and not 100 small ones. It takes them longer to sort through and read your mail than it did you to send it. Too much e-mail can result in them no longer caring, and ending up spam yourself.It is ok and socially expected to read every e-mail you get, however.No Late-Night E-mailRealize that, in this day and age, most everyone has their e-mail tied to their phone and it beeps every time they receive their e-mail. If your e-mail makes their phone beep in the middle of the night and wakes them up, their response may not be what you wanted.Only shop secure websites (https)The s after http in the website gives it a level of security.Websites that lack the s do not encrypt your information as it travels over the wires and servers of the internet. People can get this information and use it for their personal gain.Websites that have the added s encrypt that information and it will make it harder for criminals to use.Everything is PublicNo matter how private you think your information is on the internet, someone can get it. All it takes is a guessed password, a friend turned into an enemy, or a brokenhearted ex, and your personal private information or pictures can become public and your world can be ruined.If you dont want it out there, dont put it on the internet.Part 2:Fair Use, Copyright, and PlagiarismFair UseAccording to the U.S. Copyright office the principle of fair use states that some material can be used without the permission of the author because, Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.U.s. copyright office - fair use. (2009, November). Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html 17Copyright ContentWhen people work hard to create content, they copyright it to ensure that their ideas cannot be stolen.

Stealing their ideas can result in failing grades or lawsuits, depending on the thief. Copyright InfringementWhen someone gets paid to create something, they get paid based on the number of that thing that they sell.When you use that thing without their permission, you are stealing money from them.It may seem like a victimless crime, but it is still a crime nonetheless.Fair UseFair use simply means that small portions of someones material can be used if you give them credit and you are using it for a useful purpose. Such as:CriticismTeachingReviewsNews reportsScholarly purposesCopying someones words or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own is plagiarism. The Public DomainThe public domain consists of non-copyrighted materials that you can freely use and not have to pay for.These are useful for use in content creation when you need a theme song, picture, or Christmas carol. This also applies to knowledge that is considered to be public.PlagiarismAccording to Dictionary.com, plagiarism is defined as the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. plagiarism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism22Avoiding PlagiarismIt is important to avoid trying to pass someone elses work as your own or copy portions of their work without giving them credit.Avoiding this is simple:Give them credit.Use proper MLA or APA citations and your plagiarism will fall under fair use.Part 3Internet and Computer SafetyInternet SafetyTip 1: Do not post anything you wouldnt want everyone seeing.

Nothing is private. There are people out there that can hack into any private account and make your items public. Dont share it if you dont want it shared with everyone.Internet SafetyTip 2: Do not friend people you do not know personally online.

If you do not know a person in real life, do not become friends with them on a social networking website.This can seem innocent, but this person may not be truthful about who they are and can be someone much older trying to take advantage of you.Internet SafetyTip 3: Do not meet anyone in real life that you meet on the internet.

Just because someone posts a lot of pictures of someone on their Facebook page, doesnt mean that is the person you will be meeting.Meeting someone in public that you have met online is very dangerous and can put you in a great deal of danger.Internet SafetyTip 4: Do not open e-mails from people you do not recognize.

Spam e-mails can cause viruses to spread on your computer and can give people control of your accounts.Internet SafetyTip 5: Do not give out your passwords or social security information.

If someone asks for your password or social security number, do not give it to them. No one is allowed to ask for this information over e-mail, so if someone does, they are trying to break the law. Internet SafetyTip 6: Stay away from file-sharing programs.

Illegally sharing and downloading music is a crime.You may download viruses from these websites and think you are downloading safe files.Some of these programs can allow anyone to access all of the files on your computer.Computer SafetyTip 1: Make sure you have anti-virus software and that it scans and updates regularly.

New viruses come out every day and anti-virus software updates daily to keep up with it. Having anti-virus software is pointless, if you do not allow the software to scan.Scans may slow your computer down, but so do viruses.Computer SafetyTip 2: Make sure you have a firewall.

Not having a firewall on your computer is like leaving the front door open on your house. Anyone can come in. People can leave viruses and access files on your computer if there is nothing to stop them.Computer SafetyTip 3: Make sure you have anti-spyware software.

Spyware is different from a virus. Spyware allows people to spy on your actions on your computer. They can steal passwords, bank information, and files that you access on your computer.Like anti-virus software, if you dont use it, it will do you no good.Computer SafetyTip 4: If someone does something bad on your computer, you will be responsible.

If you let someone do bad things on your computer, it will be traced back to you and not them.You can be punished for crimes they commit.Computer SafetyTip 5: Do not use pirated software.

This process is not only illegal and can result in fines or arrest, but it is also dangerous. Pirated software can come packaged with viruses and spyware.If they stole the software from someone, they will steal from you.ConclusionThe person you are on the internet and the person you are in real life is the same person.

Dont do anything on the internet that you wouldnt do in real life.Works Cited PageChiles, D. (2006). The rules of netiquette. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.networketiquette.net/ netiquette. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/netiquetteplagiarism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarismU.s. copyright office - fair use. (2009, November). Retrieved April 16, 2011, from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html