“If your idea of teaching kids to be digitally savvy means showing them how to avoid phishing scams, create unbreakable passwords and stay off pornographic websites — then experts say you’ve got a lot to learn.” That’s the lead paragraph in the Deseret News article “Sure they can navigate Snapchat, but how media literate are your kids, really?”

“Digital literacy” is a crucial component for success in an increasingly interconnected world. How are you preparing your children to be safe and technologically literate in today’s world? Online safety is important, but that’s just one issue in a much bigger discussion.

Can your children think insightfully, adapt readily, question thoughtfully, contribute creatively, and participate responsibly in an ever-changing world?

• Fake news. Do they understand that not everything they see on the internet is true? Do they know how to question and verify what they read?
• Cyberbullying, hate speech, and social exclusion. Do your children understand when they are bullying, demeaning, or excluding others? Hashtags like #UseTech4Good and #Digital4Good track stories of kids who’ve used social media to tweet compliments, make connections with fellow students, and share what they’re learning.
• Trolls. Malicious scammers are always on the lookout for personal data. Do your children know how websites collect their personal information and what they can do about it?
• Media creation. Your children do more than consume social media, they create it. Do they know how to do so in wise, safe, and ethical ways? Do they understand that digital footprints last forever? Do they know how to create and contribute through blogs, videos, art, and music in creative and productive ways?