Your digital footprint is a very serious thing to consider. It can even impact your future career! If you follow any news articles, very often a person would lose their scholarship due to irrational behaviours online. Every single thing that they’d done makes footprints in their lives, and it’s there for anyone who looks to find out. Many universities nowadays will check out your digital footprint and you may be rejected if you have a negative footprint!!

Maybe examples of scholarships taken back can be found online, in news, in the media, all over the place.

The 3 P’s focus on the fundamentals of a positive footprint and online profile.

Profile, only use your first name. Don’t give out any important information like your full name, address, and other things like that.

Permission, make sure you have permission to view and share things online. If you took a picture of your friends, ask! Before! You! Post!! Consent is everything.

Privacy, keep your passwords and personal details private. Don’t give out any important information, once again.

Protect, keep evidence and don’t bully back. I always like to screenshot whatever others have said to me so, in the future, I can pull it out anytime.

Positive, make sure the information you share is positive. If you can’t tell someone what you said online in their face, don’t do it. Think about your parents- or your grandparents- seeing what you posted or commented!! What would their reaction be?

How to properly manage your footprint by following this simple web.

Delete any unused social media accounts. If it’s lying there unused, better delete it. Who knows if someone goes searching for your digital footprint in the future… What will pop up?

Protect your reputation. Think about it. Would do like to be known as a person with a positive footprint who respects everyone online… Or a cyberbully?

Remember nothing is private online. Anyone can easily find anything online. But they won’t be able to if you never put that information out on the internet in the first place.

Apply the golden rule. Pretty self-explanatory, right?

Guard your privacy, if you don’t want someone finding out something… Consider not putting it out there in the first place.

Assume everyone is watching. Would you do the same thing if your parents and grandparents are watching? If your answer was no… Better not do it.

Ten things you need to know about digital footprints… Read carefully.

When you search and interact online, a trail of info is left behind. Very true! Some apps like Facebook can even see what web pages and other apps you open! Didn’t know that before? Be careful from now on!!

Elements of your digital footprints can be searched or shared. Certainly true, why else would universities be searching for your footprints if they weren’t able to find anything?

Digital footprints can be both helpful and harmful. Definitely, universities may have their eyes on you if you have an exceptionally positive footprint! And on the other hand, if it’s negative…

Once online, things will be there forever. Yes, unless you delete that account you have.

Always think before you post online. What would your parents’ and grandparents’ reaction be if they saw it?

Personal information and opinions to one person can be shared with a larger audience. Definitely, anyone can just screenshot what you said and send it to another person. It goes on and on from there.

Googling yourself can be a worthwhile exercise… You never know what will pop up!!

Old or inactive accounts should be disabled or deleted. Just do it, then your information would be trapped inside that account, and only that account. Or it may just be gone forever, hopefully.

Keep personal details and control the privacy settings on your social media accounts. Make sure you are in charge of who sees it and whether it is open to the public or not!!

Be mindful of the digital footprint of others. Ask if they want to be tagged in a photo or not! Do they want it on their profile? Consider others.

I learned a lot about digital footprints. I would spread the knowledge I know through my blog by directing all of my friends and family here.

I know my article will help them a lot, and they will benefit from the knowledge earned from my article.

That’s the end, take some advice. And start creating your positive digital footprint today!