1. How might your digital footprint affect your future opportunities? Give at least two examples.
Anyone with access to the internet can access your digital footprint, so if you were to post embarrassing or personal information online, someone important could access that in the future and use it against you. For example, someone at a job or school you are applying for could discover something about you that you wouldn’t want them to know just from your information online. You could also accidentally expose too much personal information to strangers or people that might want to hurt you, such as your location or the fact that you are alone. What you post online could end up in the wrong hands and you may end up in a situation where you are forced to do something to keep that information safe.
2. Describe at least three strategies that you can use to keep your digital footprint appropriate and safe.
It is always important to be aware of what you post, whenever and wherever you post. Always T.H.I.N.K before publishing something, and even then try to post personal information to only family and friends. You can secure your accounts by never sharing your passwords, and using a different password for each account instead of the same one for all accounts. Do not post anything you may regret later in the future, such as embarrassing photos, videos, or information.
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?
If I could go back in time I would prevent myself from texting certain information to my friends. Even saying something as simple as ‘I’m home alone’ gives hackers insight on you and puts you at risk. I would take back sharing very important or personal information online that I should have shared in person instead, simply because it would have been more meaningful to the person. Social media takes away from social interaction, and my advice to younger generations would be to take a break and go talk to someone in person. Making connections in real life is much more powerful than bonding online. Though social media can be a great bridge and communication device, we often overuse it for more than it was meant for. Be careful online, and always think ahead.