How might our digital footprint affect our future opportunities?

By looking at my own digital footprint I can see a lot of what we do on the web is vary easy to access. Whatever we do on the web can impact my career, by having information on our digital footprint such as, illegal activity, insults, or just media that is not acceptable to today’s standards can vary much impact anyone’s chances in the future of getting anywhere. Another way is personal data being left behind over the years, whatever you do as a child, teen or an adult, something is always left behind to look at. By having a good digital footprint, you need to think before you post something, make sure if something you did will impact your future, and if you see only media you don’t like, just delete it. Another way it can impact your life is when you are applying to a school or a good university, when they are looking through your digital footprint there can be something they can find odd or questionable depending on the information found, some information can be, drinking, drugs, or something that cant be good and will give you low chances in the future.

Strategies that you can use to keep your digital footprint appropriate and safe.  

1. Think before sharing

It’s not common to think before sharing a photo, message (publicly), or opinion on something. But doing these actions may affect on your future. It is good advise to everyone having social media, to always think before sharing.

2. Delete old posts or accounts

Having old posts, or old account laying around is not always the best idea, old post’s, such as something funny that might have been funny back then but is unflattering now, can really impact your chances in the future. Or an old account you used to post something that was okay back then but it is bad now is not the best idea to have on your digital footprint. It is always a good idea to delete posts or account that you don’t use anymore or that are not a good look for your footprint.

3. Keep most of your media/personal Information safe and to you’re self

Having personal data, daily activity, personal likes, and history on your digital footprint may not be the best idea to post. Someone or anyone can access your personal life, all your interests, hobby’s, family information and your history. Having all of this data for the world to see, someone can know everything about you without even seeing you in person.

4. getting involved and posting your work

If you have something that you are passionate about, and you do often, make post’s about your work. Say that you like to do graphic designs, and you like to make cool affect and customize websites, well you should make post’s about your work to show the world, and people who are looking at your footprint that you are good at graphic designs. Or you can go one step further by making your own website and posting all your skills in that subject, and giving examples, and posting your latest work. By doing all of this you can make a good digital footprint, and by showing your skills you can get better chances of getting into the job you want.

What information did I learn that I would pass on to other students.

I have learned about how easily someone can access my personal information, and how having a inappropriate, exposed, and general bad footprint can easily affect my chances of getting into or a good position in my future job or school. sharing the information I have learned, I would first tell them the main safety reason of having a exposed digital footprint, also by how having a bad digital footprint can affect your future. Another thing I would tell them about would be the strategies, and common advise to keep there digital footprint safe and appropriate. The last information I would tell them to do is to, share and do what you are good at, so in the future you can have a better chance of getting the job you want.

[Photos: M technology By: Jeff Parson, Ars technica By: Jon Brodkin, Technology rocks By: unknown, NWEA By: Kara Bobowski, UCL By: Unknown, University of new Hampshire By: unknown, Pexels By: Negative Space]