Digital Footprint

A digital footprint is an impact that you can personally make on the internet. This can include things such as messages you send, comments you put on social media, tweets and Instagram posts.  Everything you do is recorded. What you post could affect future jobs heavily, as well as personal relationships. A lot of things that we do can be done online these days.  It really is a great thing.  However, someone can look up your name and find out almost everything about you very easily. This can include good and bad things. The internet won’t filter out the bad stuff.

Some strategies to keep your digital footprint appropriate and safe are:

1. Don’t post anything inappropriate. This can include posting inappropriate or unkind comments on a blog or video. People who do this frequently can be known as internet trolls. Don’t be a troll.
2. Don’t do anything inappropriate. This can include being video recorded by a friend doing something that you shouldn’t really be doing, and then they decide to post it on social media. It is extremely easy these day to share anything. And unfortunately, once it is out there, it can be out there forever for anyone to see and find. Don’t share friends videos or pictures without their permission either.
3. Just be kind. Making a nice comment, or posting positive pictures or videos can be a great way to make a positive digital footprint. If you do good things in your school or your community, you may be in the news or in your local paper. These are ways for you to have a good digital footprint.
4. Don’t post personal information. It has its drawbacks.  Don’t do it.  Anyone in the world can see your information, and potentially use it to steal your identity.  Don’t post things like pictures of your ID, credit card information, bank information. Just don’t.

What information did you learn that you would pass onto other students?

Keep your private data private.  Things like your passwords on gaming sites, email or servers.  Don’t share these passwords with anyone.  Try and not use the same password everywhere, because that will make things easy for hackers and other untrustworthy people. You never know who is watching them, or you.

It’s also best that you only make online purchases from reputable safe sites.  Don’t buy a glorified kitchen glove like I did this past summer.  It wasn’t even close to a real Avengers Infinity Gauntlet.  The website was questionable, but it was flashy and catchy so it caught my attention.  It said “order in the next 10 minutes” and “limited quantities”.  Don’t’ fall for it like I did.  I learnt my lesson from that.  And I will probably listen to my mom next time, and not order something like that again. (Just don’t tell her I said that)

<- What I got

<- What I Ordered

Having an anti-virus and keeping it up to date is also important.  You would be surprised to see how many viruses your computer catches without you even knowing.  This summer, my mom pointed out how many viruses were quarantined in our home computer.  There were too many to count.

TL;DR Just remember to be kind online and you’ll be fine!

Sources for images are:

Job Stock Image

Hackerman

Joseph Joestar “Nice”

Good Infinity Gauntlet

Kitchen Glove