When I first google myself, I see a stunning blond no older then 30, and mildly provocative photos of other girls. Looking deeper in I found a soccer player with my name, and a lady who passed away more then 50 years ago. I’ve been looking around YouTube, Instagram and twitter but haven’t found anything I would personally be ashamed of. Yes, I do have multiple social medias but they’re all private, my Instagram has nothing more than photos of me on vacation and a post from my birthday, which my mother took. Basically, I have nothing online I would want to hide from anyone, including a potential boss. Now a days you can go on any social media and find teenagers drinking, vaping or half naked in their mirrors (which doesn’t make sense why some of my friends take photos like that). We’ve grown up with internet at our fingertips and have never lived without that, none of us have really experienced repercussions from what is online. Most of our lives are on our devices, what would happen If social media just disappeared? It would be easier to get away with things, but right now if your friend sends streaks of you, or you’re in the back of your neighbor’s selfie, you can’t hide from the constant clicking of photos, or follows on social media, it’s how we are being taught to survive. One day everything you’ve ever done, every photo that has been taken of you is going to come back and haunt you weather you like it or not. It’s so easy to find previous posts, or comments. People are committing suicide because of what is being said online about them, but those bullies, those mean girls disguised as someone else, those simple comments guys put on girls photos, it’s all going to come back. This assignment was about my online image, but it got me thinking, what if I didn’t delete the hateful or rude comments people posted on my pictures, what if I didn’t delete the messages, and I didn’t close the snapchats. Would it make a difference? Would those people even second guess what they say? Would they have troubles in the future just because of a simple sentence they said online? It’s such an easy thing to do, just click the share button. No one knows the consequences until they go for a job interview and are staring at a photo of them 5 years before at a party. Maybe I haven’t posted a photo that I regret, but one day someone will and it’ll affect me.
How may it affect future opportunities?
As I said in my paragraph, before being hired for a job they commonly check online and see if you have any negative comments that will put a bad name on you and your work space. As well as friends or family will see your posts and may not approve or agree with your choices. You’ve probably heard online famous people are being attacked by accusations of rape or pedophilia, which affect their image and family. Digital footprints can have a positive or negative impact on your future and your reputation. Facebook and instagram are two major sites/ social media platforms where finding information of others or their pasts are easy to access.
How can you keep it appropriate and safe?
start of by not posting photos of yourself you wouldn’t feel comfortable showing your grandmother, tell your friends not to post photos of you without consent, and just be nice online, people can screenshot chats and comments without your knowledge. Don’t share your location, or personal information about your life. what you post or say online can be misinterpreted or changed up to look bad for you, it can hurt your friends feelings, or just start issues online or sometimes even in person.
What information did you learn?
Mostly just to not post inappropriate things, just by searching my name I found photos on Facebook I would be ashamed to be posting or have posted of me. Be safe, internet was made to communicate with others and make our lives easier, don’t abuse that. Be responsible and kind and hopefully your digital footprint will be positive. everything online is never gone when its “deleted” and you can never trust what is actually being seen or not.
