Thing 4 Digital footprint

I was advised by SSSC to complete Thing 4 next, This would lead me nicely into learning more following my discovering of my activity history   


Thing 4: Digital Footprint

I have learnt that a digital footprint is the trail you leave behind when you use the internet. This history if not managed can be accessed by others. There is nothing you can do to retrieve information once it has been put out there publicly. Digital footprint could be used to gather information about me that could put me at risk of identity fraud. It can either create a good impression or a bad one.

Step 1 - I began by watching the Orange digital dirt video on you tube. I had heard that employers had begun to use these types of methods to check out potential employees. I watched the interview being acted out and instantly thought of recent comments that I had read on Facebook. These comments were made by a person I know who I have always regarded very highly. At the time I couldn’t believe what I was reading and thought of the damage and trouble these comments could cause. I believe this person was acting out of character and that they were either drunk when they posted it or possibly unwell. I know the person and know this has been an indiscretion but others wouldn’t and potential employers certainly would not.

Step 2 - I Googled myself to see how high up on the search engine I came. I featured first through Facebook, I clicked on my picture and my profile page came up. I am relieved that I don’t put too much personal information up but even from this I was able to see the following:

• My favourite music  & Movies
•  Football team I support
• My political tendencies

Hmm, Could this be enough to cause me a bit of grief online?

My name came up in the obituaries thankfully it wasn’t me. I then found myself on the electoral register and my blog came up also.

Step3 – Phew! I am glad I have been cautious as I am now reading 8 tips to manage digital footprint and learning a great deal. I didn’t know that I should regularly check the settings on social media sites as these sites can change their privacy controls. I did this straight away and my settings were fine.

 I felt that Tip five’s advice on splitting my footprint made total sense especially to those who use auction sites and do shopping online.  

Tip 6 has enlightened me on apps and I have learnt that there is no real way of knowing what is attaching itself to you when you download an app.  Some of these apps can glean information about you and use it to push advertisements your way. Needless to say the mobile application manager was checked and I cleared the apps from it that I didn’t use.            

Step 4 - I checked my Google account, first exploring my timeline this showed nothing very much. I don’t have Google share set up but I soon realised I am glad at this point that I don’t. Potentially my footprint could indicate locations I frequent such as the homes of the people I support, banks or the locations of my family’s homes and the regular places we go. I had already found out a bit about my Google activity and thought that this must be what the police use when they are looking for missing persons and how digital footprint has positive uses too.

During my research into digital footprint I came across an interesting article which gave me even more information.  https://digitaltiptime.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/active-and-passive-digital-footprints/comment-page-1/   

I realised  by reading this that we have an active footprint and a passive footprint the difference being that active is what we create ourselves and passive is what other people write or post about us.  The article outlines the importance of being a good digital citizen by remembering that anything you post about someone else is adding to their passive digital footprint. I particularly appreciated the piece written by the author when she made the comparison that your digital footprint is like your online credit history and that you should periodically check this.    

Posting positive comments lessens the likelihood of someone posting anything undesirable back to you (this made me think about my friend earlier in my blog).  The article asks you to consider 3 questions before you post.


                 Is it kind?                                             Is it true?                                 Is it necessary?  

This made me reflect on our own SSSC codes of conduct in particular Code 5. Uphold the trust and confidence in social services.  Staff must always consider the impact their actions might have on their career and the implications on their registration.  How can we uphold trust in social services and expect the people we support to have confidence in us if in our private lives we choose to use social media to show the worst of ourselves?

Would you want that person on Facebook to support you in your own home?