This week's topic, digital law, seems pretty obvious on the surface. Digital law deals with unethical use of technology, including things like
- Hacking into others' accounts or information
- Accessing other people's accounts or files without their consent
- Illegal downloading of files (music, movies, images, etc.)
- Plagiarism
- Creating or disseminating destructive programs (worms, viruses, Trojan horses, etc.)
- Sending spam messages
- Identity theft
These are all things that you likely know are illegal, and the kids probably do, too. They might not realize that things like plagiarism are also legal issues, though, so it is worth discussing these topics with kids so they understand what digital law entails.
What is not so clear with digital law, though, are questions like
- When does cyberbullying become a crime?
- When does free expression online become a crime?
- When does sharing images or information online become a crime?
One way to help students understand aspects of digital law is to involve the experts: the local police. Technology safety lessons in grades 5 - 8 cover topics such as sexting, cyberbullying, and digital footprint and the legal aspects of those topics. When those lessons are taught. our school resource officer helps present the lessons by bringing in copies of laws to share with students as well as share what he has learned on the job that can helpful for kids to make good digital decisions.
One of my favorite go-to cyberbullying resources is the Cyberbullying Resource Center. Their website contains
- Current research on cyberbullying
- A database of laws related to cyberbullying by state
- Blog posts with discussions of timely topics related to cyberbullying and technology safety (like this one on Sarahah, which exploded in popularity tight at the start of this school year)
- Resources for teachers, students, parents, and communities
In addition, other technology safety websites offer resources that address different digital law topics for different age groups, including
Feel free to browse these resources to find timely lessons to reinforce what you are already doing in your class with your kids. And as always, let me know if I can come in and help you with this or if I can assist with lessons, too!
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