DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS – WHAT ARE DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS?
TIP: Every time you go online you leave a digital footprint!
This footprint shows everything you have ever looked at, sent or written over the internet and can not be deleted!
TIP: Use this page to see how you can have a SMART attitude to your digital footprint and make sure you have SOL!
HOW SMART ARE YOU?
Can you find yourself in an online search?
Download this template and create your own digital footprint ↓
http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/downloads/digital_footprints.pdf
Are you being SMART? Do you have SOL?
TOP TIPS FOR HAVING SOL!
- Would you share your toothbrush? Probably not so you must treat your password the same and not share it with anyone.
- It can be dangerous to not log off when you have finished using an on-line service, make sure you ALWAYS do this.
- Use your own digital footprints to remember your favourite websites like the history button and your bookmarks so you don’t end up looking at a site you would want to avoid.
- Every time you visit a website they will make a note that you have been there and other sites you may have visited.You need to be aware of this as you may receive suggestions you really don’t want.
- Always tell an adult if you see or read something that makes you feel unhappy, scared or upset.
IP addresses (What is that I hear you ask)?
ANSWER: An IP address is like telephone numbers for computers.
According to the excellent website Kidsmart:
“Whenever you go online your computer is given a special number to identify it. This number is called an Internet Protocol address (IP address). Without this special number the computer can not receive any information from websites or other computers”.
“Sometimes when people behave badly online a website and/or the police may use and IP address to identify the computer that has sent the information”.
WHO’S WATCHING YOU? 
These days we are encouraged to tell our life story on the internet and illustrate it in lots of different ways…
We are encouraged to share photos, videos, diaries, blogs ……
You must remember that once that information or photo is on the internet it can not be retrieved. As well as it getting into then wrong hands companies store information about you for years to come. This could have a dramatic affect on your future, imagine turning up to a job interview where they start quoting what you said on social media years before …..
TIP: Apparently lots of universities and employers now use the internet to check up on you!
So, keep safe and don’t put too much information about yourself online, keep the negative thoughts to yourself and try to stay positive with the comments you make on-line. It would be really sad if you missed out on that perfect job because of something you may have said or done ….