AY Honor Digital Citizenship Answer Key
Skill Level
2
Year
2025
Version
11.09.2025
Approval authority
Australian Union
1
A digital citizen is someone who, through the development of a broad range of competencies, can actively, positively and responsibly engage in both on- and offline communities, whether local, national or global. These competencies are not a one-time development but lifelong as digital technologies are disruptive and constantly evolving. Becoming a good digital citizen should ideally begin from earliest childhood at home and school, in formal, informal and non-formal educational settings. It is a lifelong development of smart and safe online habits.
2
A digital footprint is the data that’s left behind whenever you use a digital service, or whenever someone posts information about you onto a digital forum, such as a social network. It is normal to have a digital footprint – in fact, it is very difficult to avoid in this digital world. Since anyone’s digital footprint is publicly accessible, it is recommended that everyone should know exactly what their digital footprint looks like and how to actively manage it.
3
- Emailing
- Social media
- Messenger
- Banking
- Dating
- Photo sharing
- Gaming
- Shopping
- Geolocation services
- Applications
- Professional networking
- Travelling using a travel card or paying with a credit/ debit card
4
Cybersecurity is the protection of devices, services and networks - and the information on them - from unauthorised access, theft or damage. It is the prevention of unauthorised access to the vast amount of personal information stored on these devices, and online. Cyber-attack is an attempt to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks or devices.
5
A password is a sequence of characters used to verify the identity of a user, usually to gain access to an account, website or system.
DO’S:
- Use separate passwords for your computer account, email account, and other accounts you may have such as banking & social media.
- Make sure your password is strong – Three random words combined into one password is an effective way to create a strong password that is easy to remember.
- Save your passwords in the browser – By storing your passwords in a browser you are allowing your browser to remember your password for you and is safer than using weak passwords.
- Save your passwords in a password manager – In case you have trouble remembering your passwords but want your accounts to be secure, you can use a password manager (or password vault).
- Make sure you always have Two Factor Authentication enabled.
DONT’S:
- Never share your password with anyone (including IT support)
- Do not perform financial transactions on public networks
- Never write your password down and keep it on your desk or anywhere others can access it easily
- Avoid using the same password on multiple websites, all your accounts could be compromised in one go.
- Avoid using common passwords such as the word “password”, do not use your username, birth dates, family, or pet names.
6
Smart devices are electrical items that connect to the internet (or to your home network), usually via Wi-Fi. They include ‘hi-tech’ devices (smart speakers, fitness trackers and security cameras) and also standard household items (such as fridges, thermostats, kettles and washing machines).
Manufacturers of smart devices regularly release updates that help fix bugs or security issues in their products which - if ignored - could put your data or privacy at risk. Without these fixes, your device becomes easier to hack. Your device is not secure if a criminal can guess the password used to access your smart device. This would allow them to log into your device, and use it to access your network or to conduct cyber-attacks.
7
Social media are forms of digital communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.
Social media use is not inherently beneficial or harmful. Social media platforms offer powerful opportunities for socialization and connection, job seeking and professional networking.
Social media may also have some negative effects, including mis- and disinformation, hate speech, and cyberbullying. At the extreme, social media use can interfere with sleep, physical activity, and in-person social interactions.
Examples of social media sites (any of these, and many more):
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Telegram
- Snapchat
- Kuaishou
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Sina Weibo
- Quora
- Discord
- Twitch
- Tumblr
- Threads
- Bluesky
- Mastodon
8
9
Misinformation is fake news that is created and spread by a MIStake – by someone who doesn’t realise that it’s false.
On the other hand, disinformation is fake news that is created and spread deliberately – by someone who knows full well that it’s false. The purpose is often to persuade people to think a certain way, sometimes vote a certain way or even to make money from advertising when someone clicks on a story.
Children should demonstrate complete understanding by giving real-life examples of the two.
10
Australia
United Kingdom
USA
Other countries
Require individualised search.
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13a
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