WHEREAS, The recognition of Digital Citizenship Week is proposed in simultaneous recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month, Connected Educator Month, and National Cyber Security Awareness Month; and

WHEREAS, The goal of Digital Citizenship Week is to raise awareness about the importance of digital citizenship as a set of defined, teachable skills for kids in the 21st century; and

WHEREAS, Digital media is driving significant changes to the ways that children live and learn, and those changes bring exciting opportunities, such as new career paths and innovative means of self-expression; and

WHEREAS, Digital media also poses potential dangers, including cyber bullying and exploitation, if not managed appropriately though education or other means; and

WHEREAS, A Common Sense report, Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America, finds that technology and media use begins at an increasingly young age, with as many as 38 percent of children under 2 years of age using mobile devices for media in 2013; and

WHEREAS, According to the 2015 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Teens and Tweens, teenagers use an average of nine hours of media daily, not including media use for school or homework; and

WHEREAS, The 2015 Common Sense census also finds that one-half of teens interfere with their own learning by multitasking with social media while doing their homework; and

WHEREAS, Parents, educators, students, and lawmakers play a role in making sure children learn how to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly; and

WHEREAS, Digital citizenship means that children appreciate their responsibility for their choice of content as well as their actions when using the Internet, cell phones, or other digital media; and

WHEREAS, To be responsible digital citizens, children must be digitally literate, which means being able to use and understand the many different types of digital technologies and messages; and

WHEREAS, This new media literacy should become an integral part of children’s education that is woven into the overall curriculum across grade levels, starting as early as kindergarten; and

WHEREAS, The nation whose children best harness the educational and creative powers of digital media will write the economic and education success stories of the 21st century; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature believes in training and educating teachers and parents to help children understand and manage digital media’s role in their lives through additional investments in that training and education; now, therefore, be it