Creating a Positive and Safe Digital Footprint
Internet safety is important to protect your information. You don’t want anything personal online as it can be found and used for a multitude of things. Any data you share can be tracked by law enforcement, marketers and others who may not have your best interests at heart. Some things not to do are to share your location with online sites. Make sure not to share personal information on public Wi-Fi. This includes guest Wi-Fi at restaurants and stores. While this doesn’t have a huge affect on privacy a good thing to note is to not post while you’re angry. There is a good chance you’ll regret it later and you might not be able to take back what you said. Remember, your digital footprint is how others online will view you will view you. Make sure to check your privacy settings when on social media. You can also use incognito mode when browsing to ensure your browser history is not recorded. Try searching for yourself every now and then to ensure that you know what’s being said about you online. If you really want to get committed to this, you can buy a VPN to ensure your data stays safe.
Works Cited
‘How To Protect Your Digital Footprint’. Morgan Stanley, https://www.morganstanley.com/articles/digital-footprint-protection-strategies. Accessed 13 Oct. 2022.
Sheikh, Sumbul. ‘5 Steps to Protect Your Digital Footprint Online’. Starthub Post, 29 June 2022, https://www.starthubpost.com/steps-to-protect-your-digital-footprint-online/.
Teen Voices: Oversharing and Your Digital Footprint. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ottnH427Fr8. Accessed 13 Oct. 2022.
Your Digital Footprint May Be Unflattering. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8C1a2z_cuQ. Accessed 13 Oct. 2022.
Personal/Social Reflection
One of the biggest ways I contribute to the online community is by doing nothing. I have no social media accounts and don’t plan to until I’ve settled at school. Since I’m not online I can judge a person by who they are in person and there is no risk of hurtful comments. By putting nothing online, be it about myself or others, I am hurting no one and may even be helping myself in the future. Including the fact that without the distractions of social media I am usually able to focus on my work much more since there is no temptation of scrolling. I do want to get on their eventually so I can maintain closer contact with some of my friends. I also know I have been influenced by things online and on social media despite trying to stay away from it.