Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship refers to the capacity to participate fully, safely and recognisably in online and digital public life - having roles, routines and voice in the platforms where shared culture and civic life are increasingly located. For disabled users, and particularly people with intellectual disabilities, digital citizenship goes beyond access to devices: it requires accessible onboarding, usable safety tools, moderation practices that protect against ableist harassment, and opportunities to move from consumer to contributor, mentor or host. The concept is increasingly used in accessibility research to evaluate mainstream platforms not only for compliance but for whether they support meaningful social participation over time.