The following video was given to us to watch about digital footprints:
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=79IYZVYIVLA
A digital footprint is the trail of data one leaves behind interacting with their TVs, mobile devices and use of the internet, providing to the public what you may have watched, clicked, liked, etc. The crazy thing about it all is that it starts nearly from birth. As the world is becoming increasingly digital, this footprint is becoming more linked to who you are as a person day by day.
After watching such an eye opening video, I now recognize the importance of a good and healthy digital identity. I looked back on things I have contributed to the internet that may not cast upon me in a positive light to find that (thankfully) there were not many. Improvements I can make on my digital identity can be posting and sharing light hearted, educational videos or links to facilitate my learning, try my best to maintain good relations with all users of sites I frequent as well as refraining from posting explicitly personal matters of my life on the internet. People have been caught with their pants down on the third one and as a result have had an extra headache to deal with and have permanently left the sites they once loved because "detectives" threatened to release their personal lives and identities to the rest of internet.
The second topic, netiquette, is pretty much what it sounds like: being courteous and respectful on the web. Albion provides 10 core rules to which to adhere. While many of these seem like common sense, we often forget many of these rules when the internet provides for people near uncensored and ungoverned places like 4chan. People on the internet are, for the most part, hidden by a veil of anonymity and have the freedom to say what they want, which, as you can imagine, is a breeding ground for controversy and flared tempers. In my opinion, the 2 most commonly broken on the internet are 2 and 10, with 2 being very relatable. Some use the internet as a form of alter ego, an escape from everyday life and a way to vent out opinions or thoughts they are either to scared to say in real life or are socially unacceptable. With the internet at our fingertips it is easier than ever to do so.
The link between digital footprints and netiquette is very clear. It is exactly rule 5 in Albion's core rules, which is to make sure you present yourself respectably on the internet. After a good refresher on netiquette and and the other valuable information provided to me this week, I understand how important it is to appear professional everywhere you go and will make a continuing effort to do just that.
Ribbel (2011) refers too our activity on the internet as "digital citizenship". Our digital citizenship is what shapes our digital footprint. We shape our digital footprint every day as the internet becomes more heavily engrained in our lives and this blog will be used to document my journey on improving my digital footprint and becoming a better digital citizen.
I know I have only scratched the surface in terms of required knowledge I need to know to become an upstanding digital citizen and am somewhat intrigued with what the rest of the course holds.
Until next week.
Sources:
Ribble, M. (2011). Digital citizenship in schools. (2nd ed.). International Society for Technology in Education.
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