Being a Responsible Digital Citizen
What's Digital Citizenship?
In today’s hyperconnected world, being a responsible digital citizen means more than just avoiding bad behavior online. For college students, it involves engaging ethically in academic communities, protecting both personal and institutional data, managing digital footprints, understanding copyright and fair use, and maintaining professionalism across digital platforms.
Whether you’re a student, instructor, administrator, or support staff member, practicing responsible digital citizenship fosters a safer, more respectful, and productive learning environment.
Below, you’ll find a curated collection of resources-videos, toolkits, articles, and guides-organized by audience, to support responsible digital behavior in your college setting.
Useful resources:
Digital Citizenship Resources for Students
Common Sense Education – Digital Citizenship Curriculum
commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship
(Free lessons and activities on internet safety, media balance, and online responsibility)Be Internet Awesome by Google
beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com
(Interactive games and tips to teach students how to be smart, alert, and kind online)Cyberbullying Research Center – Resources for Students
cyberbullying.org/resources/students
(Guides and advice for safe and respectful online behavior)NetSmartz – Online Safety Education
missingkids.org/netsmartz
(Age-appropriate resources on protecting privacy and making smart online choices)
Digital Citizenship for Teachers
ISTE – Digital Citizenship in Education
iste.org/areas-of-focus/digital-citizenship
(Professional standards and strategies for teaching digital citizenship across grade levels)Edutopia – Digital Citizenship Resources for Teachers
edutopia.org/article/digital-citizenship-resources
(Articles, lesson ideas, and classroom strategies for building responsible digital citizens)Teaching Tolerance – Digital Literacy Framework
learningforjustice.org/frameworks/digital-literacy
(Frameworks to teach students how to navigate and critically evaluate online content)MediaSmarts – Digital Citizenship Teacher Resources
mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/digital-issues/digital-citizenship
(Lesson plans and tools for promoting ethical and responsible tech use)
Digital Citizenship for Administrators
CoSN – Digital Citizenship Resources for School Leaders
cosn.org/initiatives/digital-citizenship/
(Guidance for creating policies and leading district-wide digital citizenship initiatives)Project Tomorrow – Speak Up Research Findings
tomorrow.org/speakup/
(Data and insights on how students, teachers, and administrators view digital citizenship)Department of Education – Digital Literacy and Citizenship Resources
tech.ed.gov/digital-literacy/
(Federal resources for integrating digital literacy and citizenship into school planning)Future Ready Schools – Digital Citizenship Resources for District Leaders
futureready.org/program-overview/digital-citizenship/
(Tools and frameworks for district-wide digital citizenship initiatives)
Digital Citizenship for Parents
Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) – Good Digital Parenting
fosi.org/good-digital-parenting
(Tips, videos, and resources to help parents guide their children’s online lives)SmartSocial – Parent Resources for Social Media Safety
smartsocial.com
(Workshops, courses, and guides to help families navigate apps and platforms responsibly)National PTA – The Smart Talk
thesmarttalk.org
(An interactive tool for families to create a tech use agreement together)Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign – Cyber Safety Tips for Parents
stopthinkconnect.org/resources
(Federal cybersecurity tips and social media safety guides for families)