Overview

Photo by Hudson Horizons

In the 21^st century, technology has become an essential element within society.  From students who utilize Internet as a key research tool to adults who use email to communicate with their peers; essentially every individual values the ease and speed of technology.  However, as technology evolves into a part of every day life, Laila Weir, author of “Behaveyourself.com: Online Manners Matter,” reminds society that, “our children… haven’t learned to handle digital communications by osmosis.”  While children and adults alike use the Internet with innate ease and nonchalance, it’s important to remember Internet usage requires a certain amount of responsibility and common sense.  Now, parents and teachers have increasingly come to realize that children not only need to be educated on how to use technological tools but they also require education on acceptable online behavior.  The idea that online activity is permanent is one example of what must be taught.  It’s a strange concept that, although you may delete a picture or email, it will always exist in cyberspace.  Therefore, individuals must maintain a certain amount of responsibility while online.  This concept is called e-sponsibility.

One important corresponding subtopic of e-sponsibility is privacy.  It is important to remember that, although the Internet is intangible, individuals can still expose themselves online.  Therefore, Internet users should protect themselves by upholding the same principles as if they were in a crowded public area.  While a simple act such as providing personal information may seem harmless, in reality it may have the same negative results as yelling the same personal information while walking down a busy street.  There’s no guarantee of whom will have access to the information and how they will use it.  In his article, “Data Snatchers! The Booming Market for Your Online Identity,” Mark Sullivan of PCWorld reminds his readers that, “Virtually every piece of personal information that you provide online… will end up being bought and sold, segmented, packaged, analyzed, repackaged, and sold again.”  Social networking sites such as Facebook are especially notorious for collecting personal information.  Even the simple act of “liking” a post becomes a piece of data in an online package all about you.  Therefore, it’s important for individuals to protect their personal information to avoid online exploitation.

However, privacy isn’t the only important aspect of e-sponsibiility.  Cyber safety is another important concept that relates to the broader idea.  The Internet has become a ubiquitous tool that supplies a massive amount of information.  Users can virtually find anything on the web, from something as simple as a student’s blog about e-sponsibility to a racy photo of a celebrity.  Online information is as easily accessed as it is supplied.  This presents society with another issue, children and teens who utilize the Internet for school projects, social media and gaming risk being exposed to inappropriate content.  While some websites such as Google provide filters and certain safety measures, it’s important to remain wary on not only what you are exposed to, but also what information your peers, children and students are accessing.  While the Internet is a useful tool, it’s also powerful, and requires a certain amount of safety, privacy and common sense.

Sullivan, Mark.  “Data Snatchers! The Booming Market for Your Online Identity” <http://www.pcworld.com/article/258034/data_snatchers_the_booming_market_for_your_online_identity.html> PCWorld. IDG, 26 June 2012. 20 March 2013.

Weir, Laila. “Behaveyouself.com: Online Manners Matter” <http://www.edutopia.org/whats-next-2008-netiquette-guidelines> Edutopia. The George Lucas Educational Foundation, 13 August 2008. 20 March 2013.

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