Students of Color Online - 10 Questions to Promote Digital Health, Safety, and Citizenship

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Fahsai

A set of guidance questions helps school leaders strengthen digital health, safety, and citizenship for students of color while accounting for differences in online experiences shaped by identity. The content defines digital health, digital safety, and digital citizenship, then explains how online bullying and surveillance technologies can produce distinct psychological, social, and academic harms. It cites research on varying time and risk exposure by race and recommends inclusive policies, evidence-based data collection, and culturally responsive school cultures to build trust and reduce harm.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Background and Definitions

Digital health

Digital safety

Digital citizenship

Equity and Research on Online Experiences

Usage differences by race and ethnicity

Harms of online bullying

Risks from student surveillance technologies

Guidance Questions for School Leaders

Vision and equity planning

Data collection and evidence

Students of Color Online: 10 Questions to Promote Digital Health, Safety, and Citizenship As outlined in the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan, digital health, safety, and citizenship skills reflect the full set of knowledge and habits students need to use technology appropriately, responsibly, and safely. For schools and districts, creating the conditions for those skills to develop includes policies regulating the use of school-provided technology or access to personal devices at school as well as antibullying policies or standards for responsible interactions online. While digital health, safety, and citizenship are important for everyone, students may experience digital spaces and the school policies regulating them differently based on their personal identities. School policies and cultures that meet the needs of every student may require additional considerations for students of color based on this context, particularly in areas such as transparency and trust, parent or caregiver engagement, monitoring or surveillance, and discipline. “Digital health” refers to the skills and practices necessary in maintaining a healthy and balanced relationship with technology and the digital world. It recognizes the benefits of technology as well as the potential negative impacts of excessive or unhealthy technology use, including strategies to help promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being in the context of digital usage. “Digital safety” focuses on skills and practices to avoid online risks and ensure privacy and security while using digital technologies. It involves measures to safeguard personal information, avoiding cyber threats, and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Digital safety also encompasses educating individuals about online dangers, such as phishing scams, identity theft, cyberbullying, and online harassment, and promoting responsible digital citizenship. “Digital citizenship” refers to appropriate, responsible behavior when using technology. It encompasses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to navigate the digital world respectfully and responsibly while engaging positively and constructively in online communities. Prepared digital citizens possess good digital literacy and critical thinking skills. The amount of time teens report spending online varies significantly by race and ethnicity – with 55 percent of Hispanic and 54 percent of Black teens reporting being on the internet almost constantly, compared with 38 percent of white teens.1 The reasons for these different usage rates vary. Black and Latino young people are more likely than white youth to use social media to learn about professional or academic opportunities, express themselves creatively, connect with family, and find information and 1 Pew Research Center, December 2023,“Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023”[https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/12/11/teens-social-media-and-technology-2023/](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/12/11/teens-social-media-and-technology-2023/) resources about mental health and well-being.2 At the same time, Black and Latino youth are also more likely than White youth to have taken a temporary or permanent break from a social media account due to harassment or other negative experiences online 3 – reinforcing the idea that social media can have both helpful and harmful effects on mental health and that those effects accrue differently for different users.4 According to the CDC5,“Being bullied online has distinct, harmful psychological impacts; youth who are targets of online bullying are more likely to report being anxious and depressed and engage in intentional self-harm.” The CDC also found online bullying is associated with offline violence and negative academic outcomes, especially for many adolescents of color (Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents) . Improved efforts to support digital health, safety, and citizenship can disr

FAQs

What are the key areas covered by digital health, digital safety, and digital citizenship?

Digital health focuses on healthy, balanced relationships with technology. Digital safety emphasizes privacy, security, and avoiding online risks. Digital citizenship focuses on respectful, responsible online behavior and constructive participation.

How does online bullying affect students according to the document?

The document states that being bullied online has distinct, harmful psychological impacts, including higher rates of anxiety and depression and increased risk of intentional self-harm. It also links online bullying with offline violence and negative academic outcomes.

Why should school policies and school cultures consider students of color differently?

The document explains that students of color may experience different digital spaces and effects of school policies due to identity-related differences in risk and harm. It highlights needs for additional considerations such as transparency and trust, caregiver engagement, monitoring/surveillance, and discipline.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Fahsai