Category Archives: Digital Footprint
Digital footprint :The facts
Did you know a digital footprint is a trail of data you create while using the Internet. In includes the websites you visit, emails you send, and information you submit to online services?
Everyone who uses the Internet has a digital footprint, so it is not something to be worried about. However, it is wise to consider what trail of data you are leaving behind.
A“passive digital footprint” is a data trail you unintentionally leave online.
For example, when you visit a website, the web server may log your IP address, which identifies your Internet service provider and your approximate location. While your IP address may change and does not include any personal information, it is still considered part of your digital footprint. A more personal aspect of your passive digital footprint is your search history, which is saved by some search engines while you are logged in.
An “active digital footprint” includes data that you intentionally submit online.
Sending an email contributes to your active digital footprint, since you expect the data be seen and/or saved by another person. The more email you send, the more your digital footprint grows. Since most people save their email online, the messages you send can easily remain online for several years or more.
Every tweet you post on Twitter, every status update you publish on Facebook, and every photo you share on Instagram contributes to your digital footprint. The more you spend time on social networking websites, the larger your digital footprint will be. Even “liking” a page or a Facebook post adds to your digital footprint, since the data is saved on Facebook’s servers.
Social Networking
Social Networks are Fun
But be aware of the risks
Remember! The lower age limit for most social networking sites is 13.
The most popular social networks include Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, Twitter and Snap chat. Sites aimed at younger children, like Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters, also have a social networking element ….So be aware of privacy settings on all of these sites.
You can set privacy settings on most social networking sites so that only close friends can search for you
Remember! Facebook has a setting that you to approve or dismiss tags that people add to you posts!
Information shared between friends can be easily copied and may spread widely
It isn’t easy to take back information that has been posted – and can be impossible if it’s already been shared, look at my digital footprint page.
Remember ! Not everyone you meet online will be who they say they are.
Chatrooms and forums can connect people who are complete strangers.
Chatrooms and forums are one of the places online groomers go to connect with children. They can also be places where people use a lot of sexual language and engage in online flirting. This is sometimes done through video chat programs such as skype.
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