A job interview with a solid resume nearly guarantees being hired, until a past mistake online gets in the way.
Teens should take into consideration what they post now and how that may affect them in the future.
A trail of traceable data based on online activity is known as a digital footprint. It accumulates every time someone visits a website, comments or posts a video.
Digital footprint can have negative effects such as missed job opportunities, public sharing of personal information, and ruined relationships, according to Aura Digital Security.
In fact, teachers at Ocean Lakes have asked to remove their names from articles to reduce digital footprint.
Digital footprints have existed since the dawn of the internet but have only grown more complex with the evolution of the digital world.
Roughly 81% of people believe that the risks of data collection outweigh the benefits, according to Verizon.
Today, it can bring cybercriminals and leaking of sensitive or damaging information; however, it can also be beneficial when building preferences for things such as media and advertising.
Teenagers today often make crude remarks online or post inappropriate personal information.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation but only a few minutes of a cyber incident to ruin it,” Vice President Global Chief Information Security Officer Stéphane Nappo said.
To stay safe online, one should regulate privacy settings, delete unused accounts and use a VPN.
If it does not look right, do not click on it. If it does not feel right, do not post it. Online safety and digital footprint management solutions should be widely known, and students should be educated on their harmful effects.
