Digitization is without question the most significant leap in communication and connection in the history of mankind. Digital automation is now a part of your everyday life whether you realize it or not. But what does digital citizenship have to do with all this?

You’re a digital citizen. The proof of that is that you’re ready for this blog. But how engaged are you with the digital world around you? With a wide variety of digital skills across the global population from tech experts to people who have never touched a computer, the way we build systems increasingly favors those who can connect.

What Is Digital Citizenship?

Digital citizenship is the responsible use of digital technologies by anyone who aims to engage with society on any digital level. As our reliance on digital technology grows, more and more of our everyday tasks are handled online – just look at shopping, banking, and entertainment.

The world has increasingly come to revolve around datafication, and now that governments and businesses have the computing power to collect, collate, and analyze data at such a scale the value of being a digital citizen continues to increase.

Why Is Digital Citizenship So Important?

Technology is everywhere, permeating everything we do and, in some cases, influencing how we go about our daily lives. Technology will always play a major role in securing these connections, whether it is for online banking, scheduling a visit with your doctor, or just saying hello to a loved one on the other side of the planet.

Digital platforms, most importantly the internet itself, offer anyone who can gain access to it, the ability to study and learn almost any topic and skill you can think of. The internet and digital citizenship are a means of building equality throughout the world and the more access someone can have to information the more they can empower themselves. This empowerment doesn’t have to stop with an individual, as access to information can help to inspire others, and foster a community of learning and progression.

Digital citizenship gives access to people with different backgrounds and beliefs and exposure to this offers a chance to collaborate more and more across borders and to steadily lessen discrimination. This is only possible with responsible use of digital technologies but never before have we all had so much opportunity to connect with others.

What Makes A Digital Citizen?

The best way to define a digital citizen is to define what makes a good digital citizen. It comes down to a few fundamental things.

• Being confident and capable of using digital technology software and hardware
• Using digital technologies to participate in learning
• Developing and using critical thinking skills in the digital world
• Using technology to relate to others in meaningful ways that grow the human connection
• Respecting the privacy and freedom of speech of other digital citizens in a digital world
• Promoting the values of digital citizenship to other citizens

Why Do Digital Citizens Matter To Businesses?

Everyone you work with is a digital citizen so improving their access to, understanding of, and interest in the digital technologies you use, like automation, is going to go a long way in making them better digital citizens, better employees, and more fulfilled people.

Thinking about the skills of your digital citizens? PAteam can help you and your teams with automation.