DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

1. Watch the video “Your Digital Footprint may be Unflattering”        

2. Reflect on your own digital footprint. Google yourself. Try to picture how your footprint comes across to others.

When I searched up my name, I was not able to recover any information or images of myself or the people who I am related with. I was also not able to find my friends. I tried to search using different methods, such as putting my country, city or school, but I was not able to find any results whatsoever.

My Digital Footprint is very small. I have never posted photos or videos on social media such as Facebook or Instagram, and I rarely use social media in general. I am careful on what websites to visit and use incognito to search for articles and sites (not for school) almost always to ensure that my digital activities and actions are online are not easily traceable.

3. 

A) How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities? Give at least 2 examples.

1. Your digital footprint right now can affect a future opportunity of yours such as a job interview. Every post you make on social media or every time you visit a website you leave a trail of your Digital Footprint. A company’s HR (Human Resources) can run a background check on your footprint. Every bad thing that you do online, such as posting pornographic material or saying racial slurs, is gathered by a company’s HR, which is taken into consideration when hiring. Digital Footprint also includes screenshots of chats, texts sent, etc.       

IMAGE SOURCES: https://www.pexels.com/search/job%20interview/

https://www.pexels.com/search/digital%20footprint/

1. One of the most alarming incidents that can happen regarding your digital footprint is your personal information being leaked. Doing actions Sharing passwords, birthdays, and personal information can lead to your online profile being hacked and shared to the public.       

IMAGE SOURCES: https://www.pexels.com/search/password/

1. Your digital footprint now may not just affect your job interview, but also your college admissions. College Admission Officers can check your social media profile and your digital footprint to track your online identity, so, again, if you post something bad, like offensive content or drinking, it can affect your chances of getting into college.

4. How can you keep your digital footprint safe?

A) To keep your online profile safe, you can make sure to turn on privacy settings on all of your social media platforms, to make sure that no one unwanted would go through your posts, which could also reveal information about yourself or where you live. You should make sure that no one but your friends and family can see your posts and photos on social media.

B) Do not share any passwords or any other types of personal information to unknown people or even your friends, to make sure that no one can hack into your account and make unwanted changes to your social media profiles.

C) Do not go on suspicious, dangerous or questionable websites, which can install malware and viruses on your computer, which can end up revealing your identity.

D) Do not post bad things on social media, as I have stated above, such as pornography, drinking, or offensive content, which can hurt your reputation in the future

E) Make sure to delete older accounts that you do not use anymore, which includes dead Facebook or Instagram accounts. If people scroll through your older accounts, they can find a surprising amount of information about you.

F) Do not use any obvious passwords for social media accounts, such as your birthday, name, mother’s maiden name, pet name, or anything people are able to guess easily. Make strong, and memorable passwords that no one would be able to get their hands on your profiles.

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

Now that I have learned about Digital Footprint and the dangers and the benefits and how to protect your Digital Footprint, the best advice that I am capable of giving is to just be safe on the internet and on online platforms. Do not post anything questionable that you think may harm you in the future and do not start behaving irresponsibly on the internet. Stay away from suspicious websites and questionable ads that may install a virus on your computer.

Thank you for reading my post on Digital Footprint.

IMAGES SOURCES: https://www.pexels.com/search/instagram/

                                      https://www.pexels.com/search/drinking%20alcohol/

  https://www.pexels.com/search/twitter/