1. How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities? Give at least two examples.

A digital footprint represents all your online activity from the first moment you logged onto the internet. Whenever you post a photo, video or comment, it stays online forever. A digital footprint can make a positive impression or have negative repercussions. For example, many companies will google prospective employees to see if their behaviour differs from their resume. Disrespectful or inappropriate behaviour online will diminish hiring opportunities. Similarly, a simple photo promoting Pepsi on Instagram might severely hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired by Coca-Cola. However, if the interviewer finds that you post images of you volunteering or being a kind, respectful person in general, then it may positively affect your job opportunities.  A digital footprint can also impact your future university applications. More often than not, universities also search prospective students online and examine their digital footprints. Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t show to your university, as the internet will never forget. 

2. Describe at least three strategies that you can use to keep your digital footprint appropriate and safe.

There are multiple strategies to protect your digital footprint. Three strategies I recommend are “THINKing”, keeping information private and maintaining a separate email account for professional and educational use. “THINKing” is the strategy of remembering the following acronym before posting anything online: 

T – Is it true?

H – Is it helpful?

I – Is it inspiring?

N – Is it necessary?

K – Is it kind?

Private information can be kept secure by creating a “friends only” instagram account, not using full name online and not posting unprofessional images of your face. 

3. If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently online? Think of what type of advice you would pass on to your younger self or other students. How could you go about explaining it to them?

Some advice to my younger self or to younger kids would be to always picture yourself after a decision. In the words of my elementary school principal, what do you see yourself as in one second? One minute? One hour? One day, one week, one year, one decade, etc. Make sure you know what you are doing before making a decision. Especially online. The internet lasts forever.