“Nowadays, people have this misconception that social media is a platform where everyone is just free to do whatever they want. People, most of the time, forget to be contemplative, conscientious, and humane. This is why Responsible Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy is an important topic to talk about.”

Thus said by the Resource Speaker, PhD Linguistics candidate, Associate Professor of the University of Mindanao, and Distinguished Toastmaster Maico Demi B. Aperocho during the Digital Citizenship Webinar last Thursday, December 17, 2020 and such a statement was also the rationale why the Curriculum and Instruction Division of Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus organized and hosted the event in the first place.

During the said Seminar-Workshop on Responsible Digital Citizenship, the important things that need to be talked about when it comes to the use of social media and online communication like social media etiquette and personal branding were discussed.

As regards social media etiquette, the participants, who were selected PSHS SMC students from Grades 7-12 as well as faculty and staff, were briefed about the do’s and don’ts in the use of common social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram Also, communication ethics in the context of virtual spaces was also discussed as a significant aspect of social media communication.

As emphasized by Mr. Aperocho, “Social media etiquette is something that netizens, most especially the youth, should not disregard. In this matter, everyone should instill in their minds the three important things to consider when engaging in virtual or social media communication: others, self, and environment.”

Apart from this, the participants were also reminded about the necessity of positive personal branding. Personal branding is the mark people project of themselves thru various social media platforms. This is a reminder to every responsible digital citizen that social media should be used to add value to the virtual world.

“Let us all be responsible digital citizens and then see the difference how our youth could positively transform social media to effect change globally,” the resource speaker stressed.

Overall, the participants were made to realize that ethical communication in virtual spaces means connecting with people and respecting whatever differences there could be. Also, it means embracing diversity of principles and ideas, especially perspectives on various social, political, or personal matters.