Ribble and Bailey define digital law as the legal rights and restrictions governing technology use. However, students don't always use technology the way it was intended, the most common misuse that I have seen is when students copy and paste information into their papers, powperpoint presentations, etc. and don't cite their sources. They don't know how to put the information into their own words, so they 'borrow' other people's ideas. They don't realize that it's illegal for them to take credit for someone else's work. They really don't see the harm in it. They need to realize that it's better to paraphrase and perhaps use direct quotes at times, as long as they give credit to the original author.
I think that students infringe on other people's rights when they take credit for someone else's work or when they download copyrighted music from file-sharing websites. Also, when they post inappropriate pictures and publish inflammatory remarks on the Internet. Many times students don't realize the ramifications of their actions. That is why it is up to teachers to make sure that students are aware of the laws regarding technology. Ignorance cannot be an excuse anymore. It is not enough to say, "Well, I didn't know you couldn't do that." I would make it a point to have the students access the website b4ucopy.com, anytime they were conducting research for a paper or presentation. It has several helpful tips and is very user friendly.
According to Ribble and Bailey, "administrators need to provide teachers and students with resources and guidance on what is legal and illegal; they also need to determine whether their technology rules and policies are supported legally." (2007)
"Digital citizenship helps all technology users become more aware of the legal ramifications of technology use." (Ribble and Bailey, 2007)
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