Digital footprint project 2022

Being careful about what you post online is something I think everyone who has social media has been told once or twice in their life, you may think that you have full control over what you post but you do not. People think that they can just press delete post or delete text and whatever it is they said or put up will be gone forever but that is definitely not the case. It takes less than a second for someone too screenshot/screen record a post or comment you’ve put up. It’s also very common for social media companies (such as snapchat, Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, twitter) to keep a record on what you’ve posted or said. It’s very important to only post/comment things you’d be comfortable sharing of screen and in person with your family and friends.

How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities?

universities and colleges are something everyone in high school has thought about. “Where do I want to apply? Do I want to take a gap year? What should I put on my resume? Are my grades good enough to apply here? Well one photo or comment could ruin all your plans entirely! Sometimes people post stupid photos when their younger thinking “who cares, I can just delete it later” or “it’s not like anyone is going to see this” well that’s never the case. The delete button gives you a false sense of security, you can delete your post but like I said it takes seconds for someone to screenshot it, therefore it takes seconds for someone who is looking at your college application to find all your stupid posts and deny your application to university/college. A while ago a there was an article that came out talking about how ten Harvard students had their admissions revoked because they had been sending each other inappropriate and offensive texts in a Facebook class group chat. Most likely no matter what those students’ grades are like or how hard they work they won’t be getting into another University any time soon.

Another way your digital footprint can affect your future opportunities is when you’re applying for a job. Finding a job when your older is very important but you never know what people can find out about you from just looking up your name. If you’re thinking about posting something but don’t know if you should, ask yourself “would I be comfortable showing my parents this?” if not you probably shouldn’t be posting in online for thousands to see! Very little people actually check how there being presented online, so who knows what’s up for your coworkers, bosses and others to see. 18% of employers have reported that they have fired people because of what they are posting on social media. Some people say to be careful with following or letting your boss follow you on social media. Being disrespectful either online or in person can still affect you negatively at work. When you are hired for a job, you automatically represent who you work for, and the company so do your best to be respectful and kind.

how can social media be used in a positive manner

Social media can be a great way to spread positivity and kindness to your friends and others you care about. Most people love commenting on their friends’ posts and giving compliments to others. It’s also a great way to share information and learn new things. In quarantine I was very interested in learning how to paint/draw but nobody in my family was very interested in that, so I used the internet to learn. I found so many helpful videos on YouTube and Tik Tok and because of that I was able to discover that I actually really enjoy drawing and making art and now it’s a big hobby of mine. I am so grateful I had access to videos and tutorials so easily.

What red flags or warnings would indicate that someone you are talking to online may in fact be unsafe?

Social media is a great way to connect with others and chat without having to be together, but sometimes people take advantage of others and are not who they say they are online. Most social media apps have a chat feature where you and someone else can text, but this does mean a lot of the time that anybody can text you even if you don’t know them. In situations where someone texts you but you don’t know them its best to be careful about what you say to them because sometimes people just actually want to talk with others they don’t know and make friends, but other times people want to take advantage of others and end up texting with bad intentions. Some red flags that you can look for if your skeptical about who you’re texting are: if their asking you questions about your passwords for social media or banking stuff, if their asking to see your face but won’t show theirs, if their sending you weird links for different websites, if their older than you by a couple years and if their asking you uncomfortable questions.

Those are some red flags you can look out for when texting someone online, it’s also a good idea to ask your friends if they know the person if they don’t once again be careful about what you say to them.

resources: Harvard Revokes Admission of Several Students for Posting ‘Offensive’ Memes (nbcnews.com)

How using social media can get you fired (cnbc.com)