The following is Part 1 of a new series called, “Developing Our Digital Consciousness™”. This series of articles will provide guidance as to how we can utilize our powerful digital tools to enhance our lives, and not as weapons of self-destruction.

Every 2 weeks, a new section will be released – building on the prior article, to create a cumulative series illustrating how to transform our focus on reaction to digital issues into the prevention of ─ current and future ─ digital issues.

Throughout this series of comprehensive articles, you will receive the knowledge to know how to practice – and teach others – how to never face a self-inflicted challenge based on the decisions we make in a rapidly evolving digital world.

We cannot eliminate each new negative digital trend by reacting to it with surveys, safety tips and statistics. Reacting to digital issues is like placing a band-aid on a hemorrhaging wound. Wouldn’t it be wiser to focus on preventing the injury?

Much of the information provided throughout this series will be extrapolated from the book, “Public and Permanent: The Golden Rule of the 21st Century” (Guerry, 2011), which is being used as a guide by thousands of people across our global village to understand, practice and teach how to always remain safe and responsible when it comes to digital decision-making.

Developing Our Digital Consciousness™:

How To Prevent Current and Future Digital Issues

Part 1: Here We Go:

• Poor digital decision making starts in the mind – it is the “Cause” of digital mistakes.

• Abusing digital technology creates trends, such as sexting and cyber bullying. Those trends are the “Effects” of poor digital choices.

• And, as is often the case, mistakes have “Consequences” – the chain of reaction of negative emotions, events and situations that follow trends.

Therefore, poor decision making –Cause – will create issues or trends –Effects – which will produce a chain reaction of negative emotions, events and situations –Consequences – as illustrated in this true story:

• A 19 year-old Wisconsin teenager was convicted of using Facebook to blackmail classmates into sex between spring 2007 and fall 2008.  He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for creating a Facebook profile belonging to a nonexistent teenage girl.  He used the profile to convince more than 30 of his male classmates to send in nude photos or videos of themselves.  The teen then threatened to post the photos or videos of his victims ─ teen boys ─ on the Internet if they didn’t engage in some sort of sexual activity with him. At least seven of his victims said they were coerced into sex acts, which were documented with a cell phone camera.

• Want to read more about this?  Just click here.

As we continue to live, work and play in what I often refer to as the start of a Digital Renaissance, our global village requires a uniform social norm or “Golden Rule” to help eliminate situations like the one you just reviewed.  We must establish appropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors for responsible digital decision making in our rapidly evolving digital world.  This very simple, but effective, 21^st Century “Golden Rule” is defined as:

Digital Activity Is Public and Permanent™.

By understanding and employing this “Golden Rule” while using digital technology, you are operating with a Digital Consciousness™.

Note:  It is important that you clearly understand what is meant by having a Digital Consciousness™  ─ having a mindset that your digital actions are public and permanent.

This does not mean that every single keystroke you make or picture you take will absolutely show up on the front page of a major website, an adult website, the computer of a criminal or on the news.  However, having and maintaining the mindset that, “I am prepared for the digital world and future generations to know what I am about to do with my digital device” helps us pause and think before we act.  It reminds us that it is possible for our digital actions to be seen by the world for generations.  Therefore, it helps us evaluate risk vs. reward, it helps us to prevent our “private” content from becoming available to the world by never (digitally) creating it in the first place.

The Offline Analogy:

I am often quoted as saying, “Before you do or think about something online (or digitally), take if offline first.  Would you still do it?  Would you still feel overwhelmed?”

So in each Part of this series, I will offer The Offline Analogy for you to use and teach with.

• We are taught from a very young age about responsible use of fire or heat before we have a chance to harm ourselves with this element.  When we say “don’t touch the hot stove” or “don’t play with matches” we concurrently communicate a “Heat Consciousness.”  In other words, we instill knowledge that abusing fire or any tool that uses or creates fire (such as matches) is dangerous because you and your surroundings can get burned.

• In a digital world however, we say things like “don’t sext”, “don’t cyber bully”, “don’t do “It” (which makes some people want to do “It” more) but we neglect to accurately communicate a Digital Consciousness™!

• The “public and permanent” thought system must be communicated with reactionary safety tips and advice. What we need to say is, “hey, by participating in sexting, cyber bullying (whatever the trend is), you are abusing digital technology, and abusing any digital tool is dangerous because what you do in a digital world is public and permanent ─ in just one moment you can alter your entire life and legacy.

The mass dissemination and understanding of a Digital Consciousness™ will ultimately construct a global digital community free from negative, life altering and tragic consequences that stem from making uninformed or blind decisions with digital technology.

Sure, individuals and organizations will still abuse digital tools and technologies even with a Digital Consciousness™, however, with a consciousness, they will at least realize they are doing it.  They will have the ability to evaluate risk vs. reward.  They will clearly understand the potential folly of their decision before they make it, which eliminates the excuse, “I didn’t know” ensuring they can be (fairly) held accountable for their actions.

Looking Ahead:

In Part 2 of this Series – “To Be (Digital), Or Not To Be (Digital):  That Is The Question” – we will examine the importance of using technology with moderation, and applying that age old proverb – Just because we can, doesn’t always mean we should.

Until next time – Cheers!

AUTHOR OVERVIEW

Richard Guerry Richard Guerry

Richard is the Executive Director of The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (IROC2) and the Author “Public and Permanent: The Golden Rule of the 21st Century”. He travels across the United States and Canada speaking to digital users, young and old, regarding the importance of practicing a Digital Consciousness in every aspect of life to avoid any current – or future – digital disease. Richard has presented over 500 workshops and assemblies since IROC2’s creation in 2009 and has been a featured speaker at many national conferences and conventions. Visit him online at http://www.iroc2.org/.

Tags: digital consciousness, teen mobile use