How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities?

1. A digital footprint refers to an identity you develop online. Based on how you form this identity, it can heavily influence the outcome of one’s future. An example is a when you try to get a job. Most likely, the eemployee will search you up to get a reference of what kind of person you are. If one’s digital footprint includes pictures of them drinking and partying all the time, the chances of you g-
   etting a job will greatly lessen. Furthermore, another example of how your personal digital footprint can affect you is when you are trying to get into a university or college. Many people apply for university/college and they will allow only the best to be accepted. If they search you up, they can see everything you have done on social media. In conclusion, I believe in a way your digital footprint is like a criminal record; something that leave footprints of everything you do.

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

2. Nowadays, almost everyone has access to social media. The internet is a very vast place. Just like in real life, there are many “different” people that use the internet. Sometimes, these certain individuals can take advantage of one’s lack of knowledge of their own digital footprint. This usually results into having your privacy and safety at risk. Despite all of this, there are still ways to “cover” up the tracks you create online before it’s too late. First of all, do NOT post private information online such as usernames, passwords, phone numbers, addresses, etc. This information can easily be accessed and put yours or someone else’s safety
   at risk. Posting something online like this is as equivalent to giving a potential child predator your personal info. We do not know who is behind that screen so it is vital to
   be extremely cautious online. Secondly, another way to keep your digital footprint is by changing your privacy settings. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, there will always be settings you can tweak with. These settings give you chances to control who your audiences are. Some settings will even allow you to not be even searchable. Thirdly, do not post anything that you will regret in the future. Keep all your posts appropriate and in a kindly manner. Your digital footprint creates an identity for yourself online; like a I.D. If you spoil it with inappropriate pictures, disrespectful comments, and you partying all the time, it creates a negative image for your friends and family. Once something is posted on the internet, it will always stay there, even after deleting it, so always think carefully before posting anything on social media.

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

3. In this experience, I learned that your personal digital footprint can heavily impact your future. You need to be extremely careful in the web. This footprint is a shadow of yourself. Careers, even lives have been ruined because of their own ignorance. I believe all these problems can be easily avoided by picking the right decision. I have been taught that your digital footprint should not be taken lightly. If I was teaching a class about this, I would go on a social media site and search the school’s location up so all the photos posted in that location is viewable. I would use that to show the students how easily it is to access one’s digital footprint. With that, I would explain the dangers and the potential your footprint holds.

Presented by : Peter Ra

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