Digital Smarts - REP It

It is unfortunately a common occurrence for someone to post, tweet or share something negative or harmful that they later wish they could take back, and it happens to adults and children alike. When it comes to sharing, many people have taken a “devil may care” attitude, posting whatever they want and just hoping for the best. Sometimes, a controversial post will live without backlash but many times it can blow up and wreak havoc on the original poster. Excuses may arise such as “I thought it was funny,” “Can’t anyone take a joke anymore?” or “Who would ever see what I post?” The reality is, we are connected digitally to one another more than ever and we need to understand, and teach our kids, that if we post something negative there will likely be consequences.

Mike Ribble, an educator and author of several books on digital citizenship has come up with an acronym to think about every time we share something online– REP – which stands for respect, educate or protect. Here’s what he means by each of these factors:

• Respect: If we have respect for our selves and others then why would we say things about them or post images we might regret? Have empathy for others; think about how a post or Tweet might affect them. Use the rules of etiquette: they are there to protect you as well as the person you are corresponding with.
• Educate: Ignorance is no excuse for poor online behavior. Learn about the technologies you use; educate yourself and those around you how these tools work. A little bit of knowledge can go a long way when using technology.
• Protect: Guard yourself, your good name and the reputations of others. Do we have the right to speak out against others that we do not agree with? We do, but not at the expense of their reputation.

There is a thin line between being funny and hurting others. In the digital world it is hard to judge how someone might feel or react to what is said or posted, so remember that sometimes “delete” is a better choice than “send.”