Digital Citizenship

                                                                                     

According to Wikipedia, "A large part in being a responsible digital citizen encompasses digital literacy, etiquitte, online safety, and an acknowledgement of private versus public information." 

I believe parents and educators are responsible for teaching new generations on how to become a responsible digital produser. As a kid of the 90s, the internet was a fascinating new thing to 'play' with. We didn't really think about future repercussions of our actions online. As time went on and social media with the posting of pictures and opinions became more prevalent, the idea of a digital footprint being permanent became an integral part of using the web. 

A decade later, and we start to learn that when looking for a job, companies are hiring new employees will look at applicants' social media for inappropriate representation. Now, it also goes the other way. Companies will search to determine who you are online and does it match up to their needs. They want to see that you have an online presence and are active within different settings. 

According to a Business News Daily article, "About half of employers – 47% – said they wouldn't call a person for an interview if they can't find them online. More than one-quarter of employers say it's because they like to gather more information before calling a candidate, and 20% say it's because they expect candidates to have an online presence. "Whether it's intentional or not, this [not having a profile] always feels like you have something to hide," said Sims. "Either you've specifically taken steps to make sure you can't be found or you're using a childish byname – neither of which feels very professional." (Driver 2020)

Driver also reports, 

While they might not be searching for anything negative, more than half of the employers who were surveyed (57%) said they found something during their social screenings that led them to not hire someone.

According to the survey, these are the leading types of posts and behavior that left employers with a bad impression:

1. Job candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information: 40%
2. Job candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs: 36%
3. Job candidate had discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion, etc.: 31%
4. Job candidate was linked to criminal behavior: 30%
5. Job candidate lied about their qualifications: 27%
6. Job candidate had poor communication skills: 27%
7. Job candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employees: 25%
8. Job candidate's screen name was unprofessional: 22%
9. Job candidate shared confidential information from previous employers: 20%
10. Job candidate lied about an absence: 16%
11. Job candidate posted too frequently: 12%

So how do we avoid these faux pas? We go back to teaching digital citizenship skills from the beginning. Although somewhat a sidebar to citizenship, I've started talking about online safety on the internet (even though he doesn't access it yet). He will officially start his digital education in kindergarten starting in August. 👍

Resources: 

"Digital Citizen".Wikipedia. July, 18 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_citizen

Driver, Saige. "Keep It Clean: Social Media Screening Gain in Popularity". March 23, 2020. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html