The ever recurring topic - online safety. Alongside road safety and stranger danger, this is a subject that is drilled into us from a young age - but the online world is ever-changing. With new social media platforms and trends popping up all the time, it’s becoming easier to share your life online - but are you really thinking about what you’re posting?
Every time you post, you’re putting information up for the world to see. Even an innocent ‘day in the life’ TikTok can expose you far more than you realise! By sharing information such as where you live, your route to class, and your school - all timestamped - you are sharing a personal routine. All it takes is one person with malicious intent to use that information for harm.
Your Digital Footprint
Your digital footprint is a trail of data that is left behind when you use the internet. Every online activity - every link you click on, every photo you post, every website you visit - all contributes to this trail.
This is important to be aware of when you go to post something, as once a photo or video is put on the internet, it is very hard to erase permanently. Before uploading something, ask yourself the following;
- Am I sharing personal information that I might later regret?
- Is this content potentially damaging to others?
- Have I considered how this post reflects on me personally and as a professional?
- Am I posting about a topic that I have proper knowledge of and sensitivity towards?
- Could this content be offensive or misconstrued?
Further Resources:
What Is A Digital Footprint?
Think Before You Post
How Your Digital Footprint Affects Job Opportunities