Digital Footprint

          Everywhere you go, and everything you do leaves a footprint in the world, literally everything. Today in class, we discussed a different kind of footprint, a digital footprint. What is that? Basically, it is the record of anything you have done on the internet, whether it is your online subscription to a website, a google search you've made, your browser history, or social media.  Have you ever google searched your name to see what comes up? In class, we had the opportunity to do so. Luckily, I did not find anything that I did not want to see. My social media came up, and only one picture of me on google images.

          As a teen, it is important to be careful what you post online. Colleges have denied students because of what they have posted online. That picture you took with your friends with a bunch of alcohol bottles in your picture might just be a bad idea. Colleges may see these types of pictures on your social media and see that they do not want someone representing their school who can't even properly represent themselves online. Kaplan's College Admissions Officers Survey has the proof right here that colleges indeed do search for you.  

Here are some important tips for students trying to manage their digital footprint. All 11 tips are very useful, but as a teen myself I find three in particular especially simple and useful. 

 Using privacy settings can make a huge difference. As you can see, I have my privacy settings up to date. You can't see as much information about me when my Facebook is on private, versus me leaving  all of my information up for grabs. Protecting yourself on the internet is the best and safest option for anyone.

The next tip is simple; don't overshare. There is no need to be tweeting every minute about how you feel, or posting every single thing about yourself on the internet. I get it, social media can be a way to connect with people you don't see all of the time, so you like to post pictures of you and your significant other, or share how you are feeling. But, the less you post, the smaller chance you have of posting something that leaves possibly a bad footprint for yourself. This also loops back to the first step I shared, which is keeping up to date with security.

The last tip is by far the most useful, to me anyway. Googling yourself can show you just how 'private' your life is. As I said before, I searched my name on Google and saw what came up. I have managed my social media well enough that no bad footprint has been left when I search my name. On the other end of the spectrum, a student in my class shared that he found an inappropriate picture of himself on Google Images. It is that simple to find yourself or anyone on the internet! 

          Do you know your digital footprint? Knowing your digital footprint is important for everyone, not just teens. 

Employers are searching you as well. Teens may think once they got accepted into college, no other professionals are looking them up anymore, so why not post that picture drinking at the party. Think again. Thirty-seven percent of companies use social networks to find potential job candidates! You might think, what are the odds this employer is going to look me up. But, this is actually an effective method of seeing a person's true colors, which will benefit the employer as well. Your digital footprint is going to follow you for the rest of your life, so make it a positive footprint. 

          Yes, there is a lot of baggage that comes with the use of social media and the internet. If you use it wisely, you should have no issues and a negative footprint. After all, social media can be used in different ways, such as for business. Snapchat is a great example. According to USA Today College, Snapchat is thought to have the most engaged audience, with more than 700 million snaps a day. If you are starting a business, this is a great way to start through social media. Your audience isn't all just teens, In fact, as of June 2015, 39% of Snapchat users were 25 to 44 years old. There are multiple ways to use Snapchat to get you started.

You can see all of the benefits here. I found the second tip the most relatable. There are a lot of hidden talents I have that most people wouldn't know about me by just looking at me. For example, I play four instruments, which not everyone knows and it is not something I often brag about. But, I can showcase my talent on Snapchat's "stories" feature. A potential employer may see a skill asset you have showcased and could take that into consideration when interviewing you for a job. It may benefit you! After all, social media does have many professional benefits that you may not realize.
          Remember, anything and everything you do on the internet leaves a trail. Be smart about what you are posting, it may make or break your future career.