Our Digital Footprint

How might your digital footprint affect your personal brand and future? Why is it important to be aware of one’s digital footprint?

Research shows that over 40% of employers will use search engines to research people before before considering them for a position (Research by CareerBuilder in 2013)

Your digital footprint will leave a mark on your life, whether it be applying and trying to get into a university that you want, or a job that you planned for and dreamed to have, and to have the opportunity lost because of a mark on your digital footprint.

Employers and universities will track and research your digital footprint, and it might swing the luck in your favour if they like what they see, or it might do the polar opposite.

When they look for your tracks, they might discover something beneficial to them, or that says a lot about the type of person you are online, from that one Instagram post where you took a memory with a friend, to a message you sent on Reddit, or an inappropriate username, to an offensive message that you thought was a joke but people found it offensive, even though you didn't know at the time, and even if it is embarrassing, and you are a different person, it still follows you, and the people who check your background might find out about that person you were before, someone who you aren't today.

It could be obvious, such as a post talking about how you did something illegal, or something your employer or university don't want to associate with, like drugs, alcohol, or things that are might not be as obvious, like a meme you posted that was racist, or hurt other people.

Some of it might not be made by you, such as an inside joke your friend posted about you, which could be misread and misinterpreted by other people. We need to be aware of what we put on the internet and should question ourselves on the effect it could have, which could completely change your life. How might you do this?

What are a few strategies that could keep you and your digital footprint appropriate and safe?

There are a number of ways to keep your footprint clean, and many tools and software that will help keep your privacy and safety while on the internet. When thinking about this, make sure to know what you want people to know about you, and will come up when they search for you online.

1. Don't post things that you wouldn't want everyone to see. Think about if you want everyone to be able to see someone before deciding to hit the post button recklessly. Think "what effect will this make?" Would you want your mom or your teacher to see that? How about people who are judging you for a position for a job?

2. Be mindful of who can find out. You might think that some things are private, such as a direct message to someone, but they could screenshot, and spread it around. Do you think you want everyone to know? If you have your location showing, do you want everyone to know?

3. Make sure to utilize all the security settings available to you on your apps, phone, and browser. Think about how much you want people to know, and set the security accordingly.

4. If you posted something that you aren't particularly proud of, delete it and clear it from your footprint.

5. Untag yourself when you are tagged in things you can't want to be associated with. Most social medias have some form of untagging technology, and there are many tutorials with a simple Google search.

6. Report them if you can't untag yourself. Report it and try your best to take it down and remove it

7. Delete or Deactivate unused or old social media accounts. This helps remove things that you might have posted in the past, and make your footprint cleaner.

8. Log out of social media accounts regularly, and try to see if you can find info about yourself online. See what comes up when you type your social media username

9. Install programs that hide your location and remove any unwanted malware or viruses that have latched on to and infected your device.

10. Have a strong password. A strong password and things such as two step verification help to keep your account safe from those who want to hijack it, and makes another wall of defence for your privacy.

11. Understand that even if you try your hardest, no information you post online will ever be completely untraceable. Hackers have even broke into government security sites.

How would you explain the idea of “digital permanence” to anyone in your spheres of influence: other students, your family members, your teachers, etc.? Why should we care and be aware of “digital permanence?”

When we are in the internet, nothing we do is truly hidden. Your DMS, posts, and any other form of activity online can be found and exposed. If you post something potentially offensive, and you are trying to get hired, and the potential employee picks up on that one post, that could mean the difference between getting the job or not. Be careful of what you post, and think if you really want that information to be floating around, available for anyone who wants to find it.

Thank you!

Thank you for reading this, and taking the time to educate and learn about online safety and security. Make sure to check your social medias, and think about what to post. There are many articles online that explain digital footprints in further detail, and most can be accessed through a simple search on your browser. Stay safe and happy surfing!