Unit 1

My Digital Footprint

A digital footprint is the information about a person that exists online because of websites visited, social media activity, online accounts, comments, photos, and other internet use. During this activity, I searched my name online to see what information could be found about me.

When I searched using my social media username, only one older picture appeared online. However, when I searched using my full name, I found a public data website that displayed personal information including my date of birth, phone number, address, and even family members. Seeing that information publicly available was honestly scary and made me realize how much personal information can exist online without us fully knowing it.

Other than that website, not much else appeared in my search results. This experience taught me how important internet privacy and digital safety are. It also showed me why people should regularly check their online presence and be careful about the information they share publicly.

I learned that everyone leaves a digital footprint whether they mean to or not. Even likes, comments, and shared posts become part of a person’s online identity. Having a positive and safe digital footprint is important because it can affect future opportunities such as jobs, college admissions, and professional relationships. 

Hardware Highlights 

For this assignment, I explored the hardware specifications of my computer and learned more about how hardware affects computer performance. Hardware includes the physical parts of a computer such as the processor (CPU), memory (RAM), and storage drive. 

My Computer Hardware Information: 

- Processor (CPU): Intel Celeron N4500 

- Processor Speed: 1.10 GHz base speed, up to 2.80 GHz 

- Current Speed: 0.80 GHz 

- RAM (Memory): 4.00 GB 

- Storage Drive Size: 32 GB with 11.4 GB available 

 What I Learned

Learning about my hardware helped me better understand how computers process information and run programs. I learned that the CPU controls how fast tasks are completed, RAM helps with multitasking, and storage space affects how many files and programs can be saved on the device. 

One thing that stood out to me was how important RAM and processor speed are for overall computer performance. Since my Chromebook has limited storage and memory, it may run slower when multiple programs or tabs are open at the same time.

What I Learned in Unit 1 

 Unit 1 helped me better understand both digital citizenship and computer hardware. I learned that my actions online create a lasting digital footprint, and that computer hardware plays a major role in how technology functions. These activities helped me become more aware of both responsible internet use and the technology I use every day.