How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities?

     There are many ways that your digital footprint could affect your future opportunities. To begin with, it could affect your ability to get into your ideal university or getting a scholarship. To get into a prestigious university, they will only take the best and the people who stand out. If your digital footprint is negative, it will be extremely hard to get into a good university if they could always take a different student with a more positive impact. There area even cases of athletes losing scholarships worth thousands of dollars because of ignorant decisions they have made on social media.  However, if your digital footprint’s majority shows a positive representation of you, this can give you a step up from other students.

Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

Your digital footprint can also influence your success when it comes to your future career. A positive digital footprint can set you apart from other competitors at an interview while a negative footprint will do just the opposite. In jobs where you influence other people, such as a teacher or a politician it is crucial to have a respectable digital profile. For example, conflicting photos of Justin Trudeau were exposed in 2019 from 2001. Although these photos were taken all the way back in 2001 it may have interfered with his chance to win the election. Any mindless decision made on social media may affect you when it matters most.

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels

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

The first strategy you can use to keep your digital footprint appropriate is to make sure your social media shows a positive representation of you. Every post or statement made on social media should regard that it can be seen and accessed by family, your future employers and your current superiors. Make certain that you are proud of the image you have online. Another strategy is to keep your accounts private and to only have “followers” or “friends” that you personally know. Although it is possible for people to access your accounts although it is private, it is a precaution you can take to lessen the chance of unwanted people accessing your social media. Thirdly, it is important that you keep track of all the accounts that you have created and their passwords. Some past accounts that you have created may not accurately represent your current self or you may regret them, which is why you should always know the passwords to each account or better yet, delete the social media that you do not use anymore. By keeping track of each account’s password, this will prevent you from being locked out of certain accounts as well.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

What information did you learn that you would pass on to other students? How would you go about telling them?

I learned how important and impactful your digital footprint could be. Articles that you post on social media aren’t just seen by your friends but can be accessible by anyone and can determine your success in the future. I learned to make sure that everything that I post is respectful and is something that positively reflects me. Also, I would tell other students what I have learned through this blog. I would share my knowledge through my blog because it is a platform that I now know how to keep appropriate and safe.

Photo by bruce mars from Pexels