A digital footprint is the trail left behind of things you do online. This includes emails, Google searches, social media, photos/videos posted, etc. It is important to be aware of your digital footprint and what you post online because it is shared with the public. However, there are ways to manage your footprint.
One way of managing your digital footprint is to make your social media accounts private. By doing this, the general public is unable to see your posts, pictures, or videos on those accounts. Instead, you are in control of who has access to these personal things. However, not all platforms allow you to change these settings. For example, on Facebook you can make all your profile photos and cover photos private, except your current cover picture. In situations like this, it is important to be mindful about whether or not your cover picture is appropriate for everyone online to see.
Educating your students about their digital footprint is important because they might not be aware that everything they post online stays there forever. Students should monitor what they post because in the future, employers may search up their names. If they have something problematic posted (even if it’s from a couple years ago), they may lose the job opportunity.
This video provides a good overview of digital footprint.
