presentation.

An accurate and authentic representation of one’s competence and motivations Fully 95% of all teens ages 12-­‐17 are now online and 80% of those online teens are users of social media sites.

Online Credibility Pros Opportunities to develop and demonstrate knowledge and skills Assume roles as leaders and experts May earn credibility at a relatively early age Easier to co-­‐create with adults They can test and receive feedback May transfer over to the offline world Cons Absence of accountability structures permits deception Misrepresentation of expertise may lead to harm Youth may begin to undervalue credentials Youth may get the impression that misrepresentation is acceptable everywhere since it is acceptable in online spaces May bring some to the Dark Side

How do we address online credibility? Personal Credibility Model credible/ethical behaviour Build a history or track record of integrity Maintain credibility regardless of online persona Understand the possible implications of how you represent yourself Stress importance of critical thinking skills Teaching media awareness

How do we address online credibility? Assessing the credibility of others Cross-­‐reference sources Look for sources with established credibility offline View online information through a critical lens Avoid unprofessional and suspect websites and ensure content is up-­‐to-­‐date Possibly look at their digital tattoo Look for full disclosure about authors and their relationships with others