Raising respectful digital citizens: Guiding kids in the online world

In today’s advanced technological era, where everything is now transitioning to the digital world, our kids are also transitioning. They are no more interested in outdoor games and have switched to digital games. Even in studies, school has now transitioned to digital school. So, if we choose to say we are raising digital people, it’s no more an extravaganza or a bluff. Our children are not just growing in the homely environment or amongst the neighborhood kids, they are growing in vast digital playgrounds which includes a list of social media platforms, gaming communities, group chats and online google classrooms. Even when you see yourself you too are engaged not only in going to office and work, it is the daily teams call, zoom meetings and online conferences. The internet has unlocked the unprecedented opportunities for learning, collaboration and self-expression.

So, we can say that it has given a lot, but it has also given a concern as to How to raise children who can navigate the online world with kindness, empathy and respect? With this question, there comes the idea of raising digital gentlepeople. What it exactly means, let’s try to decode—

Long before smartphones existed, our parents’ world was filled with gentle reminders, expressing gratitude, sorry and thank you was a common term unlike today’s emoji world. And they valued it when they used to say it, it meant a real sort of expression, but nowadays the trend has changed.
In this digital era, along with the words the values are also important. In the online world, tone is harder to read and understand, anonymity can lead people to say things they’d never say face- to- face, and a single careless comment can be taken as a screenshot to hold a grudge. And in a much worse case it could be spread to thousands of strangers in seconds.
Here’s how you can make your kid understand to be digitally kind and encourage them to give online respect—

Before acting on a particular thing or instance, what your kid needs to understand is to watch, observe and listen. Be mindful and watch good content to learn better, if Your kid is watching something inappropriate, teach them about digital content and make them digitally literate. It is a must for kids that they should learn to evaluate the reliability of online content, recognize misinformation and understand how algorithms push certain content. Let them start observing and do critical thinking.

It is the same as looking before you leap, so that you don’t end up in a pitfall. Let your kid understand that he/she needs to think before what content they post or what they comment on. Because that bears consequences. Every comment, image or video that you post online is a part of a permanent digital footprint. So, as a parent what you need to teach your kid is to take a pause and ask yourself questions like “Would I say this to someone’s face?” or “How might this make someone feel?” or “ Is this the appropriate content for people which doesn’t hurt people's sentiments?”

Words say a lot but it depends on the readers or the listeners how they comprehend it. So, try your level best to be polite when you write something or say something. Remember, without facial expressions or body language, words can easily be misunderstood. Encourage the use of clarifying languages, emojis to your kids. Model the behavior, if you handle disagreements on Facebook or Instagram calmly and respond courteously to a customer service chat, they’ll notice and learn good habits from you. You are the building block for your child’s behavior.

Make your kid understand the boundaries and teach them how to respect those boundaries. Just as we knock before entering someone's room, we should respect people’s time, privacy, and consent online. This includes from basic to advanced level. If you are liking a content creator, stalking them isn’t a good idea. Copying their content is malicious. Also make them learn to seek permission before using someone’s content. Ask before tagging someone in a photo or sharing their post.

Even if you don’t like something, let your kid understand that instead of acting outrageously, give it some time and then respond. In heated online discussions, quick reactions often lead to regret. Model the habit of pausing before replying, especially when emotions run high. Wording here matters a lot.
These are a few common steps which can help encourage online respect amongst your kids and their peers. The digital footprints that our children create today will follow them in future to lead a better or a life they make. Online respect isn’t just about being nice; it’s more of being thoughtful and a good builder of trust. So, learn to respect, choose to respect and teach how to respect.