INFO 5347 · Digital Citizenship · University of North Texas

The 9 Elements
of Digital Citizenship

A curated resource collection by James Nowlin

Digital citizenship is the responsible use of technology — the norms, skills, and judgment that let people participate fully and safely in digital life. Mike Ribble's framework breaks it into nine elements: not just rules to memorize, but a way of thinking about access, behavior, and responsibility online.

This collection gathers real-world resources for each element, chosen with a public librarian's eye — materials you can hand to a patron, build a workshop around, or use to plan your library's own digital citizenship work.

The S3 Framework

Ribble groups the nine elements under three guiding principles — every resource in this collection serves one of them.

Safety

Protection from harm — staying safe and healthy in digital spaces.

Digital Health and Welfare Digital Security and Privacy

Savvy

Educated, informed use — understanding technology deeply enough to use it well.

Digital Fluency Digital Communication and Collaboration Digital Commerce

Social

Respectful participation — engaging with others and society responsibly online.

Digital Access Digital Etiquette Digital Law Digital Rights and Responsibilities

The Nine Elements