Being safe online is important. It is crucial for not just your own but others safety online. As well, may it be on social media an online game, or some other website. Being unsafe online can lead you to being stalked or having your identity stolen. Everything that is online is there forever. Even if a website goes down, the information is usually saved at least one other place and often dozens, if not hundreds, of other places. When people steal your identity they can commit fraud in your name, they might be able to break into your bank account or get money from the government that you are then responsible for.

Having a positive online footprint is important as it is an easily searched representation of you out in the world. Not having a positive online footprint can make it more difficult for you to get or keep a job, make it more difficult to get into college/university or to get a scholarship, and it can make it more difficult to belong to a club that you might want to enjoy (sports or social). Having a positive online footprint is like making a good first impression on everyone.

There are a number of unsafe and negative activities that can be done online. One of the most unsafe, is sharing personal or financial information but something as simple as using your actual name can be dangerous. You should not use the same password for multiple accounts and passwords should be changed regularly. Beware of phishing sites and messages. Finally, be safe by not opening suspicious messages or media that might contain malware.

Negative actions online include thing such as cyberbullying and catfishing or can be something like posting embarrassing pictures or thoughts online. Trolling people online is never a good plan and never say anything to anyone online that would wouldn’t say to their face in front of their mother.

In order to have a positive digital footprint and stay safe you should do as many of the following things as possible. Think before you post, many negative posts come while we are not really thinking about what we are posting but are just being emotional about something. Set your privacy setting carefully to protect yourself. Consider your future when interacting with people online and avoid anything that might be embarrassing to you or someone you are associated with. Focus on telling stories about your interests, skills, achievements, and experiences in a fun and positive way. If everyone did this then online would be much safer and more positive for everyone.

Resources:

• Security, Canadian Centre for Cyber. “Digital Footprint (ITSAP.00.133).” Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, 12 Jan. 2022, https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/digital-footprint-itsap00133.
• “What Is a Digital Footprint? | Edge Learning Center.” Edge, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learning-center/digital-footprint. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.
• ‘Myfuture – Australia’s National Career Information Service’. Myfuture, https://mysuture.edu.au/career-articles/details/building-a-positive-digital-footprint. Accessed 29 Sept. 2023.

Personal/Social Competency Reflection

I make digital ethical choices such as choosing to stay to off social media platforms and only interacting with people in games who I need to in order to play. I do this in order to not have to interact with people I don’t need to and not get addicted to social media at a young age.

I know that my digital footprint can have both positive and negative consequences, including pictures of me doing doing track and field on a website which I didn’t know about until recently. I also have a PS account that my parent has set the security setting pretty high so I will adjust my actions to double check again my privacy settings on accounts.

I make digital ethical choices such as not being on social media or any social media platforms. I do this in order to not get addicted to social media from a young age which could affect me in my future.