Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draw on the philosophy of information, specifically the work of Luciano Floridi, to argue that digital civics must fully comprehend the implications of the digital environment, and consequently an informational ontology, to deliver to students an education that will prepare them for full participation as citizens in the infosphere. Design/methodology/approach Introducing this philosophy for use in education, the research discusses the ethical implications of ontological change in the digital age; informational organisms and their interconnectivity; and concepts of agency, both organic and artificial in digitally mediated civic interactions and civic education. Findings With the provision of a structural framework rooted in the philosophy of information, robust mechanisms for civics initiatives can be enacted. Originality/value The paper allows policy makers and practitioners to formulate healthy responses to digital age challenges in civics and civics education.

Plato’s story of Theuth and Thamus from the Phaedrus is explored as a means of seeking insight into digital age civic issues. Similar civic challenges in the digital age to those faced by Plato’s contemporaries are observed, including the role of memory in formulating context, its weaponisation, and the misuse of published information. Consideration is given to the potential lessons that can be observed from Plato’s story with the aim of providing understanding of, and approaches to, challenges in digital age civic life through law, technological intervention, and education.

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We introduce the concept of shadow footprints as a means of understanding privacy challenges in the information environment. Growing emphasis on the impact of citizens sharing their personal data goes far beyond the individual, with the increased capacity of algorithms to formulate shadow footprints that inform as much about persons absent from data, as persons present. Data extrapolated from small groups have demonstrated robust utility when applied to larger populations. Individuals who have opted to keep their data private, or who have been unaware that data about their private lives has been extracted from the involvement of their fellow citizens from psychological data sets, suggests the possibility that informed consent has been circumvented, or not fully investigated. This is increasingly concerning when one considers the potential to impact the body politic through behavioral manipulation drawn from such data. These issues must be considered in the context of ethical and litigious standards to inform robust policy frameworks, legal regulation, and the provision of incentives necessary to provide guidance and civic protections, as well as adherence to good ethical practice.

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