Thing 11

I have been encouraging good digital citizenship with my students for years and while many of them can tell me the "right" answers to online safety questions, most admit they do not necessarily follow them. If I have to pick 5 things to share with them I think they would be:

1. THINK - Just as you might say things online to make yourself sound better, so does the person you are chatting with. Use your head before responding to anyone online.

2. GUARD YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION - Try a Google search of your own name and see just how much information is out there for anyone to see about you. Never post your real name, address or phone number.

3. STAY SAFE - Never agree to meet someone you met online. If your friend tells you they are a good friend of that person, ask them if they have met in person or just online. Most of the people you meet online are looking for friends and conversation, but you do not want to be the person to find the dangerous people out there who follow chat rooms looking for victims.

4. CHECK THE SOURCE - So many teens believe that if something is on the Internet, it must be true. I have my students evaluate the Save the Rennets website and then discuss it in class. Many of them never look at the About Us tab. Look for the nonsense in what you read and see if you can support that information from any other source.

5. EXPLORE - Try to locate different sources for information. Use them to back up what you know or think you know, prove statements from various web sites true or false, find new information or a better way to say/show something. It is easy to get into a rut on the Internet and just look at the same old places. With so much to choose from, expand your horizons and see what is out there. Remeber to cite your sources when you do find information you can use.