A good majority of the things we know, the things we are good at, and the things that we flourish at in life, we had to learn.
Even for some seemingly basic things like swimming, driving, riding a bicycle. These are all things we can do, but had to learn.
Imagine riding a bicycle or driving a car without knowing what you are doing, that would be catastrophic, would it not?
This is what happens when many people who are new to the digital space get into it without any prior education or guidance.
They are left to navigate the waters all by themselves, which is not always the best option. So what then are they supposed to do?
What is digital citizenship?
You are pretty familiar with the word citizen, being a citizen of a country comes with a number of responsibilities and duties owed to your country, the same goes for being a digital citizen.
Having the ability to engage positively, critically and with competence, within the digital environment, by making use of skills such as effective communication and creation, for the sole purpose of respectful, dignified and responsible social participation using technology is what is termed digital citizenship.
Principles of Digital Citizenship
The guiding principles of digital citizenship, which are also known as the S3, are Safety, Savvy and Social. These three principles are a way to support and reinforce the frame work of the themes of digital citizenship.
Think of them as the duties of digital citizens, that promotes a suitable digital environment for everyone.
- Safe: Protecting digital citizens
This focuses on the importance of preventing risks and dangers; protecting oneself and others.
- Savvy: Creating educated digital citizens
Emphasizes the importance of continued learning, keeping abreast of concepts and changes brought about by the digital ecosystem; educating yourself and others to make the best decisions online.
- Social: Respecting yourself as a digital citizen
Self-respect and respect for other people both in the physical and digital world is so important and necessary, in enabling prosocial and collective relationships between digital citizens.
Elements or Pillars of digital citizenship
There are nine elements or pillars of digital citizenship.
- Digital access: Digital citizens need to recognize the fact that not everyone has the same resources when it comes to digital access. Therefore, citizens should work towards inclusiveness in terms of digital access.
- Digital etiquette: People tend to take advantage of the anonymity of digital environment to bully and harass people, but a digital citizen should always conduct themselves properly and with good manners.
- Digital law: A saying goes “where there is no law, there is no sin”, which means where there are laws, there are offenses and in the digital environment there are definitely laws.
- Digital communication: this involves understanding the various communication platforms and the rules that guide appropriate communication on these platforms.
- Digital literacy: We live in a world that is referred to as a “digital village.” therefore, proper and adequate knowledge of digital equipment and tools are essential to maximize opportunities that come with this digital environment.
- Digital commerce: With the advent of online payment platforms, online shopping, blockchain technology, decentralized finance, internet trading and many more digitally inclined buying and selling, digital citizens must learn the appropriate and safest methods of transacting and doing business on the digital space.
- Digital rights and responsibilities: Digital citizens need to understand their rights and freedoms in the online world. They also need to protect the rights of other users.
- Digital safety and security: digital citizens need to be aware of potential threats to their safety; how they can protect themselves in times when they are at risk.
- Digital health and wellness: As with a whole lot of other things technology, possess some health hazards. It is therefore essential for citizens to be aware of these hazards, and how they can be prevented.
Importance of good digital citizenship
A little insight to the importance of good digital citizenship has been brought to note in the introductory part of this post, where it is not sensible to put someone in front of a steering wheel and ask them to drive a vehicle without any prior training or knowledge of how to do so.
That is what technology has become today. Many people get into it without proper knowledge and understanding and few tend to lose their way. This makes them liable to emotional and even physical damage themselves or towards others.
Essential digital skills
These are skills that are required of digital citizens to enable them make the most of a flourishing digital environment, and they are device usage and information handling, creation and editing, communication, transacting, and safety.
Essential digital skills and locs
Technology makes life easy, several processes and tasks that used to seem ardent or unachievable, have been brought to our grasp with the rapid proliferation of technology and technological processes.
The hair industry is no exemption to this movement. You can notice how digital technology in terms of online transactions, virtual Loc training sessions, online bookings and enquiries and so much more have been made so seamless.
Kouturelocs and digital citizenship; our efforts towards a safer digital space
At Kouturelocs we recognize the importance of good digital citizenship, and how it can be valuable to us and our customers. This is why we make conscious efforts to educate our customers on the topic of digital citizenship at every opportunity availed us.
Every aspect of our customers’ lives is important to us, we do not only care about your hair and your locs, and seeing how technology affects every area of our lives, our finances, our health, our emotions etc. it is no surprise why we take the issue of digital citizenship very seriously.