Local students reminded to mind their digital 'footprints'

The 'Digital You' awareness campaign will help people of all ages learn how to have a safe and secure online experience

Christy Nadalin
Posted 4/7/16

The Digital You campaign, officially launched at East Providence High School with Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea and leaders from AT&T New England, brought 300 graders together to discuss how …

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Local students reminded to mind their digital 'footprints'

The 'Digital You' awareness campaign will help people of all ages learn how to have a safe and secure online experience

Posted

The Digital You campaign, officially launched at East Providence High School with Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea and leaders from AT&T New England, brought 300 graders together to discuss how they can improve their digital literacy and protect their “digital footprint.”

The discussion was the first of a series of Digital You events planned across Rhode Island.

"Just like anything, there's both good and bad things about the amount and type of information we can access digitally," says Secretary Gorbea. "Children need to understand that everything they do online leaves a long-lasting digital footprint."
It's not a conversation educators and parents would have needed to have with the last generation of students.

As a mother of three daughters, it's an issue that it important to Secretary Gorbea both professionally and personally. "It changes the conversations we have to have with our children," she says. "With younger children, we might tell them that, just like there's junky food out there that they shouldn't eat, there are junky websites that they should avoid."

The conversations change as the kids get older; and even as adults we can find online safety seeming to come in conflict with our First Amendment rights.

The bottom line? Think before you post.

East Providence Superintendent Kathryn Crowley was pleased with the local roll-out, saying "This is a great opportunity for our students to learn how to put their best foot forward online for parents, friends, teachers, coaches, colleges, future employers and their own self-esteem."

For more information on the resources available, check out www.digitalyou.att.com.


Digital You, AT&T New England, Nellie Gorbea

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