1) What digital footprints are

Digital footprints are defined as traceable data that is left behind by internet users. According to the video, ‘Four Reasons to Care About Your Digital Footprint’, “When we visit websites to get information, do social sharing, send instant messages and email, we leave something behind. Our digital footprints are the traces we leave behind as we use the internet.” It is a permanent data trail that is tracked, analyzed, and often used to make a profile of the user. 

2) How digital footprints are created 

Digital footprints are created when internet users leave data behind while browsing/using the internet. Everything that is posted to the internet has the potential to exist there forever, it is difficult to erase things completely off the internet. Websites, social medias, apps, banks, ect. keep tabs on their customers and site visitors. 

3) How are our digital footprints used by corporations

Corporations can utilize digital footprints to monetize.The information that is tracked online is often sold to third party companies which allows these companies to predict the online users personality, race, age, and overall life. Companies are capable of building a profile of all internet users with digital footprints, and with this comes targeted ads. To better get their advertisement to the audience, the companies use a method of target advertisement. Target advertising is when you see a certain ad depending on your demographics: where you live, your age, your gender, your likes, your dislikes. Targeted advertisements can show users products they have been recently reading about or looking at online, but even more problematically, advertisers can predict what items users would buy based on their profile and demographics.

4) Things people do to create negative digital footprints (include consequences)

Negative digital footprints are often created with social media. When posting on social media, data and sometimes negative information accumulates and this can be found very easily. Employers often conduct background searches of potential employees, focusing on their digital footprint. As seen in the ‘Attention young professionals! What’s in your digital baggage?’ video, a lot of this data is simply accessed through Google. According to The Pew Research Center, “The majority of online adults (61%) do not feel compelled to limit the amount of information that can be found about them online. Just 38% say they have taken steps to limit the amount of online information that is available about them.” With such a large percentage of online users posting so carelessly, it is negatively affecting their job opportunities. 

5) Strategies for creating positive digital footprints. Find a video (on YouTube) or a webpage (on Google). 

To create a positive digital footprint, users should be conscious of what they are putting online and posting accordingly. The first step to having a positive digital footprint would be understanding what a digital footprint is, and knowing that things are tracked on the internet. Knowing this, users can take precautions when on websites and social media. Being aware of what websites you visit and being purposeful about what you choose to reveal on social media would be beneficial towards creating a positive footprint.

 

References

[AVG Technologies]. (2012, October 23). Attention young professionals! Whatʻs in your digital baggage? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/zlM-YuUQ3Ms

[Global News]. (2018, June 23). How facebook creates a profile from your data to sell to advertisers [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Azr41OUTOt8

[Internet Society]. (2016, January 12). Four reasons to care about your digital footprint [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Ro_LlRg8rGg

 Madden, Fox, Smith & Vitak, Mary, Susannah, Aaron, Jessica (2007). “Digital Footprints”. Pew Research Center.

Pew Research. (2013, October 1). Why youʻre still bored.  Retrieved from https://laulima.hawaii.edu/access/content/group/LEE.56067.202030/Images/oversharingstats.jpg

[Positive Coaching Alliance]. (2015, April 9). Social media: donʻt lose a $140k scholarship for a 140-character tweet [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/MgB8xBJaBoU