Digital footprints are becoming increasingly more accessible and people have more awareness around them. It is important to recognize what a digital footprint is and that everyone has one in some form that is out there for people to see. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a digital footprint as “a trace or the traces of a person’s online activity which can be recovered by electronic means; the information about a person that exists on the internet as a result of his or her online activity” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2023).
Other people might have similar experiences, but I never really think about my digital footprint until I am asked about it or the topic is brought up like in this blog post. It is easy to forget that everything you do online can be tracked or easily accessed later. Because of that, people can make mistakes when it comes to their online presence. As I began to think about my digital footprint I was curious about how mine might be perceived to others, so I googled myself. There are a lot of Madison Scheck’s out there. Other people, journals, or businesses using one name or the other but none of them are actually me. None of my personal information or accounts seem to be easily accessible even after the first page of responses. I did change my last name about 4 years ago so I looked up that name as well but there is nothing. When I googled my name and location in the same search, a few things came up that I have been a part of, but nothing that is personally mine. This is not the same situation for everyone as people have different boundaries when it comes to their digital footprint.
A digital footprint matters to me as a teacher and learner because technology is everywhere nowadays. It is included in most classrooms and a vast majority of students have technology readily accessible at all times through their phones, laptops, tablets etc. In order to keep things professional as a teacher I need to recognize that I have a digital footprint and my students will as well. Technology is not going anywhere so we need to learn to work with and around it. It is okay to have a digital footprint but as a teacher I need to follow professional conduct in my online presence and not share my personal information with students.
Digital footprints matter for teachers because our students will have them. We need to know what they are so that we can have conversations with our students about what it means to have a digital footprint or online presence. There are multiple risks to being online that students may not know about. By “clicking on a link, downloading an attachment, or sharing sensitive information, you are making your digital footprint more accessible to threat actors” (Government of Canada, 2022). Even having location services turned on in your phone opens up another path for your information to be collected. As a teacher, I hope to educate my students on their digital footprint at their grade level because they are going to grow up with technology.
References:
“Digital Footprint.” Oxford English Dictionary, Retrieved October 14 2023, from https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=digital+footprint
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. (2022, January 13). Digital Footprint (ITSAP.00.133). Government of Canada. https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/digital-footprint-itsap00133
