Who would have thought that one day, all of us would be sitting in our couches and eating breakfast while taking a virtual class? Virtual classes indeed make us realize that it’s the 21st century. What people predicted would be a decade of amazing inventions and probably time travel is progressing slowly but still, we have motored our way through technology. ‘Pandemic and technology’- words which we all would have heard zillion times during this period with increasing use of technology, still have a greater depth to it. Not just concerns about cyber security, but also talks about ‘digital citizenship’. 

Karen Mossberger, Caroline Tolbert and Ramona S McNeal together authored a book published by MIT press- “Digital Citizenship- Internet, Society and Participation” in 2007. The book introduced the concept of digital citizenship as the ability to participate in society online and examined three aspects of online participation-inclusion through regular use and stating people as digital citizens; the internet’s impact on democratic participation; and its impact on marketplaces. Commending the interpretation of the concept, more than a decade later has made us realize that it is certainly more than that. 

Digital citizen- a term which can make anyone wonder, is it a citizen who exists virtually? Right out of the dictionary, it is a person who develops the skills and knowledge to effectively use the internet and digital technology, to participate responsibly in social and civic activities. But, why take civic responsibility on the internet? The simple answer is, our world is changing! More and more cyber threats, hackers and more population which means that we have to care about everything to stand apart from the herd. Sitting together, discussing an issue in a huge gathering is not possible for everyone, especially during the time of the pandemic. The internet has helped us globalize and overcome this issue. In the wake of COVID-19, many organizations are launching virtual protests to bring together people to combat social injustices. Seeing these difficult times, it may remain so in the future. 

Increasing activity on the internet has increased online threats and people second guess even before clicking on a website. Aware, persevere and protect- the threefold of a digital citizen comes into play here. Aware of what is going around you and if a forwarded message you have received from someone is true or not. Persevere your thoughts- it is truly one’s right to their decision but it cannot be that one day you are in support of the truth and reality but the other, you are sharing a fake and fulminating forwarded message. Lastly, protect- it is not just remonstrating about your society but also protecting the integrity of the nation and its people, including protecting your rights. Concluding, the internet is a powerful and helpful tool but one should not drive or travel in their car without buckling a seatbelt, in the same way, be aware and take precautions while surfing the web.