Digital Literacy
What to master
Digital literacy tests whether you can use technology safely, ethically, and effectively. Key concepts: evaluating sources (authority, accuracy, currency, bias), search skills (keywords, quotation marks), netiquette, cybersecurity basics (strong passwords, phishing, two-factor authentication), digital footprints, copyright and plagiarism, and file and data management. Expect questions on identifying scams and protecting personal information.
Common traps
- Trusting a site because it looks professional; check the author, date, and sources.
- Confusing phishing (fake messages stealing credentials) with ordinary spam.
- Thinking deleting a post erases a digital footprint - screenshots and caches persist.
- Believing "it's on the internet" means it's free to copy; copyright still applies.
- Sharing personal details (address, ID numbers) in public posts.
Rule of thumb
Apply the STOP–CHECK–VERIFY habit before sharing: Stop, check the source's authority and date, and verify with a second reputable source. For passwords: long, unique, and never reused across accounts.
Worked example
An email says your bank account is "suspended" and asks you to click a link and enter your password. What should you do? A) Click and enter details quickly. B) Reply with your password. C) Do not click; contact the bank directly through its official number. D) Forward it to friends. C is correct - this is phishing. Legitimate banks do not request passwords by email; verifying through an official channel confirms the threat safely.