Stepping into Your Digital Footprint

By Elizabeth Sutherland

While we welcome in the new year here at PHS, we also introduce our January topics for Digital Citizenship: Digital Footprint and Self Awareness. Digital footprints are often talked about because social media is one of the largest places where your footprint can be recognized. Self awareness goes hand in hand with digital footprints because you must be aware of your footprint and how it could affect you later. Luckily, keeping a clean digital footprint is an easy task to manage for students and adults alike.

A digital footprint is defined as “the information about a particular person that exists on the internet as a result of their activity.” Anything that is posted, liked, or messaged would be considered part of your footprint. Social media users must exercise caution because anything you post could  be viewed by anyone on the internet, even if you delete it.  As explained by Kortni Campell, Vice Chancellor for Admissions at University of North Carolina, “Colleges are not simply admitting students to our classrooms, we are admitting them to our communities. Who you are, what you think and say, and (yes) what you post matters.” So even if you may not be aware of your own footprint, other people could be watching.

Self Awareness is the way you can manage your digital footprint by being conscious of what you put on the internet. Simply thinking before you post is the easiest way to manage your media usage. In this age of technology, a poor digital footprint could ruin your reputations and chances at future achievements. According to Rasmussen University, however, not everything about a digital footprint has to be negative. “A strong online presence, or digital footprint, can be a career asset in today's competitive job market. Many employers are performing online searches…in an attempt to learn about prospective hires.” So if you have a clean digital footprint, then you could actually improve your chances for success later in life. 

Spreading awareness to students about their digital footprint is very important, because these topics aren’t necessarily taught in classrooms. If students are educated on these important topics and taught to be self-aware, they are much better prepared for their futures. Smart decisions made online come from smart students!