Cyber Ethics: Applying Old Values to a New Medium

An old adage tells us "Character is what you do when no one is watching."

So it is with the Internet. Online, people can feel invisible and capable of doing things they normally wouldn't do in person or in public - things that they know might be wrong. As the Internet becomes an indispensable tool for everyday life, it is more important than ever to dust off the concept of "citizenship" and apply it to the online world.

    Relatively new terms, "cybercitizenship", "cyber ethics", and "netiquette" refer to responsible cyber social behavior. These terms refer to what people do online when no one else is looking. As our kids go online in increasing numbers, cyber ethics is a critical lesson, especially since poor e-habits can start at an early age. Unfortunately, we are learning all too well that children armed with computers can be dangerous and cause serious damage and harm, regardless of whether they are being mischievous or trying to intentionally commit cybercrimes.

source: http://www.cybercitizenship.org/ethics/ethics.html