Digital Footprint

A Digital Footprint is the traces of what you've done on-line. Search histories, websites you've visited, etc. The information of what we do on-line creates our mark in the digital world. 

My digital footprint is pretty basic. I use the Internet for school-related research, information and assignments. I also go on-line to use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Like almost everyone, I use email on a daily basis. I use on-line searches to look up recipes and information about fitness. Lately I have searched a lot on travel, flight information, hotels and hostels, and trail tickets. I think using on-line services appropriately is important to protect your digital identity and ensure that it represents who you are. 

As I stated in my previous post about digital identity and digital dualism, I think the ideal scenario is to have your digital identity reflect your everyday personality. (Feel free to check out that post for a more in-depth discussion!)

I think it's very important to teach students about digital footprints so they understand how it can affect their lives. Students need to know how to protect themselves so they don't suffer repercussions later on. The best way to teach this is to use real-life examples of digital footprints gone wrong. I really like the idea that was brought up in class about a teacher searching their students on-line and reading information in class. It shows students how easy it is for information to stick to their name, and how extremely hard (sometimes impossible) it is to get rid of.    

https://prezi.com/_5gmx9d1lwo-/your-digital-footprint/