Digital Citizen – acceptable use agreement
A couple of posts ago I wrote about the digital citizen and citizenship. Well I have been working on this concept and I have created an acceptable use agreement based on the tenets of being a good digital citizen.
Here is the AUA, its based not on restrictions or technology rather on an ethical basis for behaviour. I would as always appreciate comments and feedback.
Acceptable Use Agreement
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Name: |
Date: |
This Acceptable Use Agreement has six conditions or facets of being a Digital Citizen.
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Respect Yourself. I will show respect for myself through my actions. I will select online names that are appropriate, I will consider the information and images that I post online. I will not post personal information about my life, experiences, experimentation or relationships. I will not be obscene.
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Protect Yourself. I will ensure that the information I post online will not put me at risk. I will not publish my personal details, contact details or a schedule of my activities. I will report any attacks or inappropriate behaviour directed at me. I will protect passwords, accounts and resources.
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Respect Others. I will show respect to others. I will not use electronic mediums to flame, bully, harass or stalk other people. I will show respect for other people in my choice of websites, I will not visit sites that are degrading, pornographic, racist or inappropriate. I will not abuse my rights of access and I will not enter other people’s spaces or areas.
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Protect Others. I will protect others by reporting abuse, not forwarding inappropriate materials or communications; and not visiting sites that are degrading, pornographic, racist or inappropriate.
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Don’t Steal. I will not steal media or information. I will purchase, license and register all software. I will purchase my music and other media, and refrain from distributing these.
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Honour Intellectual Property. I will request permission to use resources and suitably cite any and all use of websites, books, media etc.
By signing this agreement, I undertake to always act in a manner that is respectful to myself and others, to act appropriately in a moral and ethical manner.
I, agree to follow the principles of digital citizenship outlined in this agreement and accept that failing to follow these tenets will have consequences.
Signed:
Name:
Date: / /
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:11 am
I really like this Andrew, and will be suggesting that our school adopts something similar. I’ve always hated the big list of “Don’t Do’s” that we make our students sign. This approach demonstrates the reasons behind the rules we make, turning them into positive outcomes for our students rather than looking like we are simply trying to spoil their fun. Well done.
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May 26th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I think this is a great AUP primarily because it is positively phrased but also because it is non-specific. I’ve seen lots of school AUPs that are quite tightly phrased and then students use the excuse that their actions weren’t included in the big list of no-nos.
The main problem is that I really want to steal it for use in my school!
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andrewch Reply:
May 26th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Hi Stuart
Please feel free to use the AUA and modify it as required. I will be posting on the wiki under a creative commons licience shortly.
Cheers
A
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May 26th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I like this AUP, thanks for this … except I feel #5 is problematic for two reasons.
1) It’s the only point written in a negative.
2) It’s steeped in the language of theft & intellectual property, when I believe it could be more positively written in light of the affordances provided by fair use and fair dealing. Would mashups and remixes count as theft, for instance? Theft, piracy, property; this language comes from a culture of control vs. a culture of sharing.
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andrewch Reply:
May 26th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Hi Alec
I agree that this point is written in a negative and you have made mention of some valid points. Technically yes some remixing does breach ownership if the resource is copywritten.
This is the one section that continues to cause me grief as it is a huge issue. I will revisit it and look at the fair use aspects, its a pity they vary so much around the world. Canada has one set of rules and down here in NZ we have another.
If you feel like putting pen to paper (or perhaps fingers to keys) and rewriting this I will happily include it in the aua and add it with acknowledgements to the edorigami wiki where this is destined to appear.
Thanks for the comment and for your thoughts
A
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May 26th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
fabulous work… would love to refer my students to this article with your permission
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andrewch Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Hi Michelle
Please feel free to use this. Once the final product is developed I will post it to the Edorigami.wikispaces.com wiki and it will be available under a share and share alike creative commons licience.
Cheers
A
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May 26th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
What I like most about this AUA is the repitition of the two main concepts: respect and protect. Perhaps #5 and #6 can be modified to continue with those concepts:
5. Respect Intellectual Property I will respect intellecutal property by requesting permission to use resources and suitably citing any and all use of websites, books, media etc.
6. Protect Intellecutal Property I will protect intellectual property by purchasing, licensing and registering all software and by purchasing my music and other media while refraining from distributing these in a manner that violates their licenses.
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andrewch Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Hi Clint
Brilliant. I appreciate your suggestions and contributions
A
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May 27th, 2009 at 1:02 am
[...] very interesting post http://edorigami.edublogs.org/2009/05/21/digital-citizen-acceptable-use-agreement/provoked a bit of discussion on Twitter this morning. Andrew Churches has done some useful work on [...]
May 27th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Very interesting post and comments. Clearly AUPs are necessary and valuable but I think there is space between being an acceptable user of a service and being a digital citizen http://francesbell.com/2009/05/26/acceptable-user-policies-and-digital-citizens/
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May 27th, 2009 at 2:31 am
Hi – I like the positive tone, short text, readability, etc. A good approach for an AUP.
But… I wonder how practical this is for a student to commit to. For instance, they use facebook from school… they post an update about what they’re doing or how they’re feeling, this wouldn’t be compliant with #1. For #2, what if they are using an online calendaring service? For #3, what does “I will not enter other people’s spaces or areas” mean? If they visit someone’s blog, facebook page, or portal page, is that not an area or space? I also agree with Alec’s thoughts and the impact of mashups and sharing…
Cheers – Brian
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andrewch Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Hi Brian
I have changed that as it is a bit ambigous
It now reads “I will not abuse my rights of access and I will not enter other people’s private spaces or areas”
Cheers
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May 27th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Alec and Andrew, I am a BIG fan of this stuff and am presently working in our District in Coquitlam Canada on a similar AUP.
What about this wording for #5:
Act with Integrity. I will cite sources for media and information. I will purchase, license and register all software. I will purchase my music and other media, and only use it for my personal needs.
Hope this helps – Cheers, Dave
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andrewch Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Thanks Dave
I appreciate your input and I love the “I will act with integrity” statement
cheers
A
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May 27th, 2009 at 5:30 am
This is fantastic Andrew, I really love the positive angle. Reflecting on Alec’s comments, could you just remove five and let six stand alone? Five is more specific, but six can encompass five? Just a thought. thanks for sharing!
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May 27th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Agree with others above. The language in the ISTE Nets is great.
Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical
behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
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May 27th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Thanks for this AUA. I would also be very grateful if I could introduce it to the rest of the staff in my school as we have been reviewing our ICT policy this term.
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andrewch Reply:
May 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Hi Kevin
If this is useful please use it.
Cheers
A
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May 27th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I love the simplicity of these policies…much less combersome than many I have seen. I would also echo the concern/suggestion by Alec on #5, especially since there are so many free, open alternatives that can be (re)purposed for education-based projects.
Thanks for sharing!
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May 28th, 2009 at 2:03 am
How about just combining #5 and #6 under the heading Honor Intellectual Property.
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May 31st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
[...] Acceptable use agreement [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I love this.
But as others have mentioned, I feel #5 should be under #6.
As a student interested in digital art, I find myself working with high level software that is simply not accessible to lower income (read: most) students. While there are open source and free alternatives available (I love what’s going on with GIMP, and use it as much as I can), these are not the programs used in the “real world”, let alone what is being taught in the classroom. As a result, I am afraid that I have to use unofficial copies of this software in order to complete coursework and in order to appear competent in the field. If I were in fact to purchase every piece of software that I have used to complete my undergraduate education, I would have spent enough (over $10,000 USD, even under student pricing) to finance another whole year of higher education at a public university (tuition, room & board, books, etc).
It is an undocumented truth that it is these pirated copies of software are what future practitioners and purchasers cut their teeth upon. Much like the textbook sharing programs that have sustained lower income students in the world of academia, unofficial sharing of expensive software is but another form of this.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe and will fight for the right for creators of software to be justly compensated. As a producer of digital art and software, I am well aware of the abuses and inequity that are attached to piracy. Stealing and Abuse are NOT concepts of an old world that will be eclipsed in the digital era. On the other hand, In regards to mainstream commercial software, I understand that there are student & bulk/institutional licensing discounts, yet they still remain outside the means of a university student, let alone a person without the means to even own their own computer. But I believe participation in the means of production of digital works is as much of a right as it is with analog works. This is a need that must be addressed and acknowledged by all software creators, and will require a great change in the way that we look at the compensatory model of digital works.
As long as there is such an overwhelming “grey area” in regards to the utilization of such software and the teaching and training of it (especially in academia), no student, faculty or staff will be able to agree to this AUA in good, honest faith. The copy fight is messy & includes many unknowns, but it is a fight that must be fought in order to maintain the advocacy and freedom of the individual.
The current models that we have are being pushed beyond their breaking points. This is a complicated conversation that is in progress, and is one in which the rights of content creators AND users must be addressed and respected.
I would love to hear what you all think, and to continue this dialogue.
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andrewch Reply:
June 1st, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hi Terry
Thanks for the reply. We both agree to the principals outlined in the AUA but as you have pointed out many of the realities are different. However I do have a couple of points to throw in here.
The first is the success of an open source product against the biggest of the software suppliers. Open Office is a great success story. The adoption across Europe by major government departments, councils etc. The adoption by the schools of NSW of open office. There are alternatives, they can be used, they do work. This model CAN WORK.
The second example that leaps to mind is MAYA the 3d development platform. Maya releases the fully featured product in its PLE edition (Personal learning edition) The products producted here are watermarked with a PLE label.
I would raise a question too about the learning institutions that are essentially pushing students to break the law (Piracy is theft after all) by specifiying that you must use this tool, and then not supplying realistic timelines, availablity, or outcomes. It is a grey area. its also patently unfair.
Macromedia (now part of adobe) had a great program that had cheap liciencing available to education. This I believe lead to dreamweaver and flash becoming industry standards. If this was more widely adopted would it work?
You are right that the model for compensation currently in play does not work. We only have to look at china & microsoft as an example. The huge levels of piracy in China led MS to taking a different approach to how it licences and sells Software in this huge market.
But in the end… No matter what justifications we can put on why people will pirate software, how unfair the costs are, these are simply justifications or excuses for what is an illegal, unethical and immoral act. I do understand the “why” it happens but the act is still wrong however understandable.
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June 8th, 2009 at 4:21 am
[...] Acceptable Use Policy [...]
June 8th, 2009 at 4:45 am
[...] Digital Citizen AUP [...]
June 12th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
[...] as an acceptable use document or as a set of ethical guidelines. (Thanks you to the people who commented and suggested and to the students for their [...]
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:10 pm
This is great ..thank you for sharing.
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